Bad girls don't die
by Kamigami no hidenka
Summary: My name is Kira. At first glance, I might be just like you. Except from the time I was a little girl I knew I didn't belong. Didn't belong where? Here, in the Naruto-verse. SI/OC not-so-self insert
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is my first story so please be kind.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, if I did I wouldn't be driving a 2003 Peugot.**

* * *

Prologue

" _No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again"_ – Buddha

* * *

In the Konoha General Hospital, a loud blood-curdling cream could be heard throughout the maternity ward. A woman was giving birth to a child that she will never come to see. Although the medics did the best they could.

"Quickly, we need the top medics here immediately!" they yelled.

"We need to move fast, start with the diagnostic jutsu, then switch to the Mystical Palm jutsu once you've assessed the damage done!" yelled the medic in charge.

"Yes sir!"

It wasn't enough.

Though trough all this commotion, no one noticed that the woman child didn't even cry. But what they did notice was that the woman, with the little strength she had, had written a name on her arm with her blood. Kira.

* * *

My name is Kira. At first glance, I might be just like you. Except from the time I was a little girl I knew I didn't belong. Didn't belong where? Here, in the Naruto-verse.

The moment when I realized where I was, I couldn't begin to imagine what to do. I didn't understand what was happening. Why me? Of all the 7.3 billion people in the world, mine was the one that was screwed.

Screwed, because I **knew**.

My life 'Before', as I like to call it, wasn't perfect but really who's was? I remember that I had a normal mother, a normal father, and a slightly abnormal older brother. I was probably around 19 years young. I also remember my love for photography. There were few things that caught my interest. I didn't have a lot of friends because I usually gave people an emotionless I loved taking pictures. Ever since I saw a camera at a garage sale, a twenty-five-year-old Nikon FM2n. Best twenty bucks spent ever.

The pictures I took were, let's say slightly illegal. My parents had to reprimand me more than a couple of times; _Don't go on the roof, No taking pictures of retail merchandise, No taking pictures on other people's property, Don't use your brother as a decoy to take pictures of people who don't want their picture taken_. I took a lot of pictures of things that are not supposed to be photographed but I didn't care much. In fact I don't believe I was ever a stickler to the rules in the Before. I vaguely remember running from a few security guards for being on the roof of a private building one time. Maybe it was a hotel? Can't remember but what I do remember is that the view of the city from there was absolutely amazing. I had the time of my life up there…until a security guard saw me from a security camera. Now I didn't do this often but there really wasn't any other way. I had front flipped from the private building's roof to the next building's balcony. From there I did a lazy vault over the balcony and grabbed the edge of a garbage house nearby. Then I was low enough to jump down onto the street.

Parkour. Parkour is a tool, it is a tool for training your body for a specific task: moving through your environment. It develops one's ability to overcome obstacles, it involves movement that will help if one is in an escape emergency situation, like I am. It was taught to me by a few local boys. It was of course hard at first, it took me years to do what I do now.

Anyway, about the Naruto-verse. I knew about it because of my brother. He was obsessed with anime. The reason I had begun watching was because we only had one TV and of course we had to share it. At first I wasn't so sure I would like it but it actually grew on me.

So as far as reincarnation goes, I can't say I know much. I didn't have a religion so I didn't exactly believe in God either. Maybe I was being punished for it. Ya know, divine power and such. I don't know, but I do _remember_.

I even remember the feeling of helplessness when it felt like I was being pushed and squeezed through what could only be described as a very tiny hole.

I didn't cry though.

I never cried, even in the Before. Not when my pet hamster died, not even when my great grandmother died. I just couldn't will the tears to come forward.

When I tried to open my eyes, I couldn't see anything past maybe 5 inches from my face. Anything else was too blurry. I could make out shapes though. Whether they were human shapes or objects was anybody's guess. I could also hear voices. Though, yet again, I didn't understand them but they sounded panicked. Before I knew it I was out like light from exhaustion that I didn't know I had.

I later found out I was born on the 25th of March.

Almost 7 months before **it** happened.

* * *

 _Six months later_

It has been some time since I was brought here, the orphanage apparently. My vision has, by some miracle, extended. By now I've learned to sit up and crawl around to the bemusement of the matrons. I know it's probably early to do stuff like that but I just couldn't take it anymore. I miss things like _walking_ and _talking_.

The strange thing inside me though. I was aware of it. After the screaming match I had a few months prior, the matron decided to go to the hospital for a check-up. I don't know what she deduced for I still can't understand a single word but it seems all went well for we were sent back after a couple of tests.

One day the head matron decided that it was time to take us to the park. Once outside, I felt relieved. I missed being able to go outside when I wanted and go parkour! I'm telling you, once these baby legs are capable I'm going to start parkouring like crazy!

And my camera! Now I'm going to have to get a whole new camera.

Looking at the rooftops I saw something incredible. I suppose they wouldn't be seen without looking for them, but I saw. People parkouring everywhere! They were hopping from one rooftop to another, heading for different directions.

Only later would I come to know that no, they weren't in fact parkouring.

That's when I saw something that changed my World forever.

The Hokage Monument

There in the center of my vision are four faces of the people I thought shouldn't exist!

* * *

After that I became much more aware of my surroundings. But I didn't have much time to think about what I was going to do because **It** happened.

It was horrible.

The air was so full of it I couldn't stop coughing. The other babies were also crying but what scared me the most was that some of them have stopped! Why didn't they cry anymore? Where are the matrons?

It was everywhere.

I could even taste it. The pure **hate** that rolled off of it like waves. I thought I was done for when the door to the orphanage was opened and, to my relief, shinobi were coming. Judging by their attire they were genin or chunin though. Must have been an evacuation plan. Upon arriving they must have been thrown off by the babies that were crying and those who…weren't. Luckily, though,I was noticed by someone.

I was scooped up by a boy, probably genin, with brown hair in a ponytail and scar across his nose. He smiled at me in reassurance.

"Everything will be alright" he said, "Our shinobi are doing the best they can."

Outwardly I didn't give any indication that I heard him. Just a blank stare. On the inside tough… .How could I understand him? Did my brain suddenly switch gears because of the chakra in the air?

And even though he said it, I could see tears in his eyes. Did someone close to him die? Probably, judging by the look in his eyes. I've seen it before on some people. He came here even though he lost a precious person, like a professional shinobi.

He carried me gently in his arms as if I were a golden treasure and took me to, what I assume, a safe place, away from **it**.

By the end of it I was so exhausted that I promptly fell asleep in the strange boy's arms.

* * *

 **A/N Tell me how you liked it! English is not my first language so please excuse the spelling or grammar mistakes.**

 **Questions for you**

 **1\. How should my oc look like?**

 **2\. Do you know who the strange boy was?**

 **3\. Who do think is the father?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Discalimer: I do NOT own Naruto.**

* * *

" _Difficult roads often lead to beatiful destinations"_ – Unknown

* * *

When I finally woke up, I was in the hospital.

Apparently the orphanage had been demolished. By a gigantic claw.

Thus the children that survived that evil chakra were temporarily placed in the hospital, until they rebuild the new one.

Now that I finally have a moment to gather my thoughts, I have come to the conclusion that yes, I'm in Naruto, of all places. Okay, what god did I piss off? This is the worst place to be for someone who absolutely hates needless dying.

What am I supposed to do now? I don't have chakra, or at least I think I don't. Don't all living things have chakra? This is so confusing. This can't be happening. I had dreams in the Before. Go to college, get a degree in photojournalism and then… .Well that's pretty much it, but that's still something!

Suddenly I felt eyes on me.

I craned my neck to look at the large see-through glass window.

And low behold there stood the Uchiha matriarch herself along with chibi-Itachi and baby-Sasuke themselves. Though the matriarch was looking somewhere to the right, chibi-Itachi was looking at me.

I stared back, slipping on my emotionless mask. He tilted his head, as if confused about something.

I decided that was enough for the day and went back to sleep. I've got a lot of planning to do for the future after all.

I never noticed, though, that the strange boy, who saved me kept watching over me until it was time to go to the new orphanage.

* * *

For the next few years my life was all about sleep, eat, repeat.

My brain feels like it's on fire though. Maybe because I have the mind of an almost adult and this undeveloped mind can't take the strain?

The new matron was worried about me though. She kept on casting worried glances in my direction and murmuring distressed things to the other caretakers.

 _"She just looks so...broken"_ She had said to the others.

Yeah, well I'm non-refundable, bitch. So just deal with it.

Apparently I've been a little too blank in my stares. I used the other children as measuring sticks to see how quickly I should progress, so as not to be too suspicious. But I couldn't copy their emotions. If I didn't feel smiling, which is most of the time, I didn't.

There still was this feeling behind my skin though. The air was cold but yet hot and shapes everywhere I looked despite my blurry eyesight. I could even close my eyes without feeling it, sensing it, even tasting it!

And if I took deep breath my coughing began, an automatic reaction to having something foreign in my lungs. Lately I've been coughing so much I feel like I'm Hayate 2.0. The matron took me to the hospital because of this.

Which I'm conflicted about because in the Before I absolutely despised doctors. The reasons being that well first of all if I call to make an appointment at 2 o'clock then when am I gonna be there? At 2 o'clock! But where am I gonna be in till 2:45? The waiting room! And when I finally do get to the office, what does the doctor do? He leaves! And I'm just awkwardly sitting there with his assistant whose busy typing away in his computer. Then come the mind games. Seriously it's like they're trying to mess with my mind. **So are you sexually active?** Uh…No **Are you sure?**...yes? **So you're not pregnant?** NO **! Are you sure?** I Think So?! **Are you** **sure you're not pregnant?** Well I shouldn't be, it's not possible! Oh my God, I feel a baby kicking!

Like why?! Why are you trying to F up our minds?! Is the hosptail cahoots with the T&I department?!

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" – well I used to have an iphone and other Apple devices, does that count?

Still I braved myself and allowed to be taken and there it was discovered that the kyuubi's chakra was too much for me and so my lungs took a hit.

This whole thing was still freaking me out. In a very mild way, but those moments of clarity that I had made my chest heave and the coughing began which made by throat burn. Like when you have a cold and your throat aces.

Still I made no sound except for the few coughing fits.

Which led to the other kids to stay away from me. Not that I minded, I have always been kind of awkward with big groups of people. Instead I just took a book from the shelf and started learning to read 'cause honestly how else am I going to learn the stupid language. Stupid language barriers.

I've also been playing with my chakra lately. Experimenting on it, I have come to discover that It's just so _easy_ to manipulate it! I just think of chakra like I had seen it in the anime and a shape, for example a bunny. And it comes out, in front of me! I can't hold it for very long though and I'm completely exhausted afterwards but it was so worth it! It just flowed naturally.

I was careful to not practice around other people though. Don't want to labeled as a protégé and then be sent off to the academy. The idea of possibly becoming a ninja isn't something that attracts me, especially killing people. I understand that the village needed military power and shinobi would be the obvious defense but I had grown in a World where killing people would be considered a crime punishable by the law.

The mere thought of working together with others or having the Will of Fire. I wasn't a people person or even a working together with people person. I didn't see the reason to have to. I couldn't understand why shinobi to lay their own lives down for the abstract goal of the "better good" for the sake of the village. Maybe I was a selfish person and disliked death but as a ninja I wouldn't have the choice.

I don't think anyone would even allow me to become one with my diagnosis. That didn't discourage me to not learn how to control my chakra though. Who knows, a little henge justu could go a long way for someone who _wants_ to be ignored.

I don't work on it for more than a half hour at most and even then I'll be so exhausted that I'll probably sleep for a good two and a half hours, much to the relief of the caretakers.

At three years old I had learned how to walk, read and speak. Though I hardly did the latter. I had asked the caretakers if I could go alone outside but that was answered with a big fat No. They said it was too dangerous for someone of my age to go outside without supervision, which I didn't get because don't we live in a ninja village? Shouldn't we, civillians, be safe?

But still, if I want my parkouring reflexes to come back, I need to start training my muscles. And so every time we were let outside to the yard, I would sneak over the fence to the woods and find a clearing to train in. No one ever noticed I was gone because they knew I would be reading somewhere in the shade of a tree. Until now that is.

* * *

Getting over the fence was a tedious task and cannot be done with just pulling yourself over it, you have to use the tree closest to the fence and jump over, the challenging part is that the first branch is way up high and just jumping from it could cause immediate pain to the soles of your feet.

So I just climbed the tree, using chakra to steady myself, front-flipped from the branch and did a roll once I was close enough to the ground.

I already found the perfect clearing that was close enough to the orphanage to hear if it's time to head back but far enough so that anyone couldn't hear me.

I started with basic warm ups: squats, push-ups, small bends and twists, but as it turns out even the warm-ups were too strainful for my body and I was panting just from that. But it doesn't matter, practice makes perfect after all. I heard a snap of a twig and quickly spun around to see who was there but I was met with air. Huh, maybe it was an animal, we are pretty close to the Nara forest after all.

When I heard the head matron calling for dinner I quickly went back over the fence by stepping on a big rock and then jumping up to catch the edge of the fence and flipping myself over.

If I had been a little more attentive of my surroundings I would have seen a head of spicky blonde hair watching the entire time.

* * *

 **A/N tell me what you think and R &R **

**Questions:**

 **1\. Should she befriend Naruto or should Naruto keep watching and then eventually follow her around like a lost puppy?**

 **2\. Should someone adopt her? Who?**

 **3\. (And I'm really stumped here) What should her outfit look like?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Discalimer: Bitch please, if owned Naruto I'd be hella rich.**

* * *

" _The stories we love best, live in us forever"_ **–** J. K. Rowling

* * *

The day the matron, also known as Miyu-Sama finally let me go outside was the day I could've died of happiness. Ironically.

…Until she decided that me and a caretaker named Naname-san should _both_ go outside to go shopping because apparently we were running out of supplies.

What is this, the freakin' Matrix? Why don't you just inject a chip into me and track me everywhere?

Now it's not that I hate shopping, it's just that shopping with any parent or guardian is stressful. And that's because in the Before when my mom wanted to go shopping with me and we entered a store, it was like she could suddenly pull a Dumbeldore on me apparate. Seriously, I check my watch for like a second and she's like *poof*. And then I'm stranded there. I hate that! Especially when I want to buy a shirt or something, she makes me go to a dressing room, and then she just leaves! Don't you just hate that?!

Still, I decided that since I'm going out I might as well be little more presentable and pulled my short hair half up into two ponytails and left the rest of it falling over my shoulder.

Well, it seems that bad habit followed me into _this_ life! The moment we stepped into the shop Naname-san just suddenly turned into a zombie and went straight for the clothes section as if it sold brains.

I just sighed and went to investigate if the store had any photo cameras. I missed my baby.

* * *

I wasn't really surprised to come to find that the cameras here are _ancient_ since I vaguely remember when Naruto had to get his ninja registration photo taken the camera the photographer used was basically the same as the one in front of me.

But I will not accept that. I will get my camera even if I have to rebuild it from scratch. Which is what I most probably have to do, the only problem is where to get the supplies? I know how to build a camera since I know a camera from the inside out. Literally. When parkouring it has dropped so many times it would've been easier to just buy another. But unfortunately, just like at Christmas time - tis the season to be _a broke motha' effa._ So I had to rebuild it, repair it, change the lens etc. more than couple of times. In fact, I'm pretty good with all electrical stuff if I do say so myself. Conneticting the right wires and such.

Still, looking over the store I couldn't find anything, that could possibly help me build another one.

I wondered if there were any other stores I could get supplies from. Would Naname-san notice if I leave for a couple minutes? Looking over at her still squealing over the clothes, I didn't think so. So without further ado, I left.

* * *

I thought that I could go quickly and be back soon without anyone noticing, but apparently that wasn't the case as pretty much every person who passed me looked at me either strangely or in confusion. Do I have something on my face?

You know what, I'm just gonna be like a good teacher and not give an F about it.

Another problem was that I hadn't been able to find any store that sold the things I needed to build my camera.

I put my chin on my fingers as I thought of all the things I would need.

I'll have to build a hardware around a DSP, an FPGA and a pair of ADCs. Of course building a full-frame digital camera has as much to do with mechanics as electronics, so I'll also need a 60mm cage system nylon enclosure, along with a viewfinder or any moving mirrors. It doesn't really have any purpose when there is no viewfinder. Oh! And optics.

I was so lost in my thoughts, that I almost didn't notice a shinobi walking in front of me. I'm usually pretty aware of my environment because I have to use my environment to my advantage in parkour, so that's why it totally stumped me when I didn't notice him.

It was then that I finally noticed that his ninja sandals didn't make any sound. Ah, the Cat's Foot technique.

On the soles of my feet were these distinctive sandal footwear as worn by the ninjas in the Naruto world. But since _everyone_ wore them, I don't think they can be classified as that anymore though.

I miss having converse. If I had to pick one footwear for the rest of my life, it would be converse.

I decided to test out my chakra control. Trying to mimic him, I found that I hardly had to use any chakra at all. Which I didn't think of and channeled too much. Toddling after him, I stumbled and almost fell but the ninja in front of me caught me.

Looking up at him and seeing an amused look on his face, I deduced that he was probably watching me the entire time. And was walking purposely slow enough for me to figure the technique out.

In fact, looking around I saw that many ninja, who had sensed my chakra spike a little, were watching me with amusement clear in their eyes, while the civilians carried on with their daily lives. They must have thought there was an emergency as ninja sometimes communicated with only their chakra.

Well. Happy to be of entertainment to you.

I glared at them, drawing a chuckle from the one, who for some reason, picked me up and brought me to eye-level with them.

 _Oh No._

He had spiky silver hair, oriented to his left-side, dark grey eyes, and a relaxed, heavy-lidded expression. Though I knew that was forced because I was a kid and he didn't want to scare me with a war veterans eyes.

A forehead protector was covering his left eye. This, combined with the mask he has used to cover the lower half of his face for seemingly his entire life, prevents most of his face from being visible.

He had a black, turtle neck sleeveless suit, strapped up sandals, and plated gloves that went up to his elbows. He was missing his ANBU mask, arm guards and flack-jacket though. Not that I blame him, ANBU is supposed to be covert operatives hand-picked by their Kage. Age, background, gender, or previous rank bear no significance in this decision. While on the job, ANBU wear masks and use code names to conceal their identity, leaving only their Kage informed.

Not exactly smart to go parading around and announcing to the world that you're an ANBU. Enemies could be lurking around any moment.

 _No way, of all the days to take break, **you** decide to stroll around the village the same day **I** decided to?! _ I thought bitterly _._

He still had an amused expression on his face, or so I assumed, I'm really just judging by the crinkle from the corner of his visible eye. Chuckling lightly at the glare I gave him.

Mark my words, someday…

Seeing him felt weird in many ways. He was a character in a series. Not this living person in front of me.

"What are you doing all alone?" He asked.

I didn't answer though, giving him a deadpan stare. Forcing myself to relax.

Which only made his smile broaden.

"Did you lose your parents?"

 _Hah, depends on what you mean by 'lose'._

I still didn't open my mouth, opting to just stare at him while looking for an escape route from my peripheral vision. He seemed to notice that though and put me down and crouching in front of me, putting a hand on my head.

"Alright then, what's your name?" He asked instead.

I decided to pull a Sasuke and said "It's polite to introduce yourself first, before asking another's name." Thinking I had him there, I smirked.

 _Ha, take that. He won't say his name to a mere kid._

"Hatake, Kakashi. Nice to meet you." He said with his eye closed in an upside down U.

Que glass shattering.

 _Huh?_

 _That_ threw me off guard.

I really didn't want to answer but seeing as he won't let me go until I say something, I graced him with an answer.

"Kira."

For some reason his eye widened. I didn't care though, seeing a perfect chance to get away from him.

He reached out for me but I ducked under him.

I quickly ran down the street. Seeing a set of stairs, I jumped on the pole on the side if the stairs and slid down from it, one foot in front of the other, making sure I kept my balance. At the end of it, I jumped down, scaring a few civilians talking there.

I have been greatly improving my parkour skills. Not by much, but enough for this baby-fat body to handle.

Ignoring them, I continued to run. Naname-san must be looking for me now.

Looking over my shoulder I didn't see him chasing me but I knew better. The distinct blur I saw told a different story.

Why can't he just leave me alone? I just a random kid. Nothing special.

 _At least to him, that is._

Quickly looking for the street that was the most crowded I ran there.

Upon seeing a distressed Naname, I knew I was going to be in trouble

Sigh, how troublesome.

* * *

What she didn't notice though, was that one shinobi by the name of Uchiha Fugaku rose an eyebrow at the scene, intrigued.

 _That child…_

* * *

 **A/N I wasn't really sure how this chapter would turn out but here you go. Tell me what you think and R &R**

 **Questions:**

 **1 Why did Kakashi's eye widen upon hearing Kira's name?**

 **2 Should Naruto and Kira become friends the next chapter or is it too early?**

 **3 Who do you think she would eventually meet when training in the forest, 'cause even tho she doesn't realize it, she's actually pretty close to the training grounds…**

 **4 Did you like the** _ **almost**_ **cute moment with Kakashi?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Thank you lovely people so much for taking time out of your lives to read my half-assed story.**

 **Which is why I just have to ask:**

 **What is wrong with you?!**

 **I'm just some weirdo behind a screen, who is just so stressed about high school exams, that she decided to instead of shake it off, write it off. And then this story was born.  
**

 **I had to get it out of my system okay?!**

 **Don't you guys have lives?!**

 **Haha** **Just kidding! :)  
**

 **Please review because your opinion matters to me!**

 **Disclaimer: I Do Not own Naruto...sigh.**

* * *

 _Scientist say that the universe is made up of electrons, protons and neutrons. They must've frogot Morons_ \- Unknown

* * *

So after the whole Going-shopping-ecaping-getting-caught-by-Kakashi-escaping-again fiasco, I was sent to stay in my room for the remainder of the night.

I also had to take the garbage out for the entire month.

All in all it wasn't _so_ bad.

Which reminds me, I have to take it out again.

I looked at the clock on the wall, that the orphanage had and saw, that it was 11:47.

Eh, I'll wait 3 minutes just to make it even. ( **A/N Am I the only one who does that sometimes? :D** )

Though it was a bit funny to scare the caretakers as they couldn't hear my footsteps anymore.

Just a bit.

The other children at the orphanage didn't appreciate being scared though and I had earned a reputation for myself among them. 沈黙のマスタ - Chinmoku no masutā. The Master Of Silence.

* * *

 _6 years old_

Ever since I was old enough to be allowed outside alone I have been taking full advantage of it and started training more frequently. When the other kids the same age as I turned 6 years old, Miyu-Sama said that as long as we tell her when we'll be going and when we'll be back, we were free to roam the entire village for all she cares.

After hearing the delightful news I woke up extra early the next day, put on my baggy kimono-like blouse with short-sleeves and a black obi tied around the middle, black baggy shorts and the standard sandals. Unfortunately the orphanage didn't have enough money to buy new clothes for everyone so some of the clothes were passed on to the younger ones by the older ones, who have outgrown them.

After telling Miyu-Sama when I'll be back, I went straight to what I have now dubbed as my clearing.

The clearing had a calming sort of effect surrounding it and I was getting better every time I went there.

I first start with some warm up stretches, I didn't have a routine, not even in the Before. But I did what I thought would need to be bended and twisted before starting on the laps.

Panting, I slowly came to a stop. A satisfying twinkle in my eyes when I realized that this was the first time I had the strength to do laps without stopping in the middle for a breather or to cough. I was becoming better and I even let a small smile appear on my face, which was incredibly rare.

Not even close to being at the level of the old me though.

I started coughing again and since I didn't bring any water with me, I decided to go to the lake near the clearing. Gripping the grass and digging my feet into the ground so as not to fall in, I dunked my head in the water while creating a chakra bubble around my head, so that I didn't have to breathe and just enjoy the coldness the water provided.

My chakra control has definitely been getting better every day. The key to it's use is not actually having chakra but instead being able to sufficiently control and conserve it.

Surfacing, I looked into the water to see my reflexion.

My hair had grown to fall to the middle of my back in black tresses. What was peculiar about it, was that it had a single thick red stripe on the side of my head, going from the top of my head to the bottom. There were also very thin natural red highlights.

That coupled with my dark-blue, almost onyx eyes and fair skin. I almost looked like a normal child. Even though I wasn't.

Another coughing fit drew my out of my musings. I still did that even though for a while I thought it had gone.

Now that I had a little break, I decided to challenge myself.

I'm going to run laps around Konoha.

I didn't know how my lungs are going to take that but I guess I'll find out.

Going near the village gate, I sensed a distressed chakra signal. Ignoring that I started running along the wall. The distress of the chakra signal started to fade the farther I ran from the gate. But it was still close as if someone's watching over me.

Still running, amazingly, I narrowed my eyes as I saw a peculiar sight.

Might Guy, walking.

On his hands.

 _What is he doing?_ I thought as I saw the Green Beast of Konoha. Shrugging my shoulders _Well I guess I shouldn't be that surprised, it's Guy after all._

Though it was a bit dissatisfying to see that even on his arms, walking, he was still faster than me.

Suddenly, Guy turned around so fast I wondered if he got whiplash.

"Ah! How youthful it is indeed so see such a youthful person running on this fine morning! How youthful!" He grinned, now walking on his hands backwards, as he faced me, while I was panting so hard, that if I didn't know any better I'd say I have asthma.

Feeling my eyebrows twitch I came to a stop, putting my hands on my knees. I needed a break anyway, judging by the heavy panting.

He must have sensed me behind him for even though I was running, my footsteps were still silent.

I jumped, feeling a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw a concerned expression on Guy's face.

"Are you alright there?" he asked, "I noticed your breathing pattern is slightly more off than it should be for a child. Do you need to go to the hospital? Not to worry! The Green Beast of konoha is here to help! If I don't get you to the hospital on time I'll run 100 laps around Konoha! No! Make that 1000 laps!"

Clutching my head, I winced. This guy sure has a pair of lungs on him.

Shaking my head "No," I responded, while keeping my eyes closed and head down, hands still on my knees "It's been like this ever since I was a baby. Not a big deal." I shrugged my shoulders.

It was silent for a while, too silent. Finally standing up straight and looking at him, I saw anime tears running down his face.

 _What?_

"Oh what a youthful child I have stumbled upon! To train your body even in though you have suffered a great damage! The springtime of youth has yet to fade away! Don't lose hope!" He cried, giving me the "nice-guy" pose.

I sweat-dropped.

And this is one of the most powerful shinobi this village has.

"Aha, I have decided!" he suddenly cried, again.

I rose an eyebrow at this. _Decided on what?_

He seemed to understand the unspoken message though, "I am going to train you to become a better shinobi!NO!The best shinobi!" He grinned so wide it almost hurt to watch.

I felt my left eye twitch again.

What made him think that just because I trained I wanted to be a shinobi. I actually like living, thank you very much. Let's face it I'm probably not going to make it as a shinobi. I'd be dead instantly.

I wouldn't even survive the Hunger games.

Straight up, people with mad skills be there sizing each other up, evaluating their skills and assets and I'd be that one idiot whose like. …Wait…is it 3, 2, 1, go or 3, 2, 1, 0 and go. And then I'd die because I'd panic and leave earlier like 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, eff it imma go now. Que explosion. Deeeaaaaadddd!

For those of you who don't know about the hunger games, for some crazy reason, sit back and let me just break it down for you. Basically there are twelve districts that are poor and have no rights, but there is one capital, that is rich and rules everything. So basically like the _real_ world. There is this yearly event, where they select one male and one female from the twelve districts to compete in the hunger games which are gruesome as you have to fight to survive. In theend there's only one winner and the winner gets a mountain load of money.

Coming back to the present, I realized that Guy took my silence as an answer and began gushing to himself of how he finally gets the chance to be a sensei. Okay, so Team Guy hasn't been formed yet.

I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Actually, I'm not training to become a shinobi. It's just a hobby."

Guy anime fell, it almost made me feel bad. Almost.

He looked at me incredulously.

"B-But don't you want to become strong kunoichi to protect the village? Is this because of your damaged lungs? You shouldn't be ashamed, even the best of us have our faults! You just have to believe in yourself! Oh, Yes! This is what youth is all about!" he said with fire in his eyes.

I was very much annoyed with him by now but managed to keep the expression off my face and stare at him blankly "Look, I already told you, I don't _want_ to be a ninja."

He visibly deflated.

That's when a thought hit me.

"But," He looked up hopefully while I looked to the side,"I wouldn't mind if you would show me a few pointers on the Kawarimi."

From what I remember, with this technique, users replace their own body with some other object, generally with a block of wood, the moment an attack lands. This creates an optical illusion, making the enemy think the attack was successful. From this, the user can use the lapse in the enemy's attention to attack or flee from the battlefield. Explosive tags can be attached to the replacement for an added surprise. Despite it being a basic ninjutsu taught at the Academy, it is a useful art that can be applied in a variety of situations as it allows for a swift getaway from danger. The technique even allows a restrained shinobi to escape capture.

 _Who knows when I'll get the chance to learn these_ , I thought, inwardly smirking. _Might as well take advantage of the situation since my reading skills are still minimal to the very least so going to the library is out of the question for now. The kawarimi could be useful for a quick getaway when Orochimaru or Pein attack Konoha.  
_

At that he seemed to brighten up and nodded his head.

Just because Guy isn't skilled in ninjutsu or genjutsu doesn't mean he can't use them, he simply tends not to.

"My names Might Guy," he grinned "but you can call me Guy-sensei."

"No," I said bluntly. _Your real students can call you that._

He didn't seem to hear me thought or he just decided to ignore me.

"And what is your name youthful little girl?" He smiled.

"Kira." I stated simply.

He suddenly stilled and his eyes widened a fraction with a look on his face. What is with that look? It's almost the same one Kakashi gave me.

He wiped it off his face and gave me a bright smile, "Well Kira-chan, It's nice to meet you."

Kira-chan. That was the first time in a really long time that someone called me other than Chinmoku no masutā. I didn't know how to feel about that, so I didn't outwardly react and just nodded at him.

"Likewise, please take care of me" I bowed slightly. I still feel awkward doing that since I was more used to handshakes.

He smiled warmly at me with a twinkle in his eyes and led me to the nearest training ground that was fortunately not in use right now.

Firstly he taught me the handsigns. Which I had to correct more than a few of times. They were, Tiger → Boar → Ox → Dog → Snake.

There are different sequences of hand seals for every technique, requiring memorisation.

Secondly he demonstrated to me how it should be done.

I watched him closely, he seemed to be gathering chakra, directing and manipulating it. I sensed his physical and spiritual chakra mix perfectly for the justu. Like yin and yang.

Out of nowhere his chakra suddenly spikes, lashing out and in his stead was a log.

My eyes widened and I let out a startled gasp. This is after all the first time I've seen an actual jutsu being performed.

Looking around I couldn't see Guy anywhere. When I saw a cluster of tree leaves fall in front of my face I looked up to see he was on the tree branch above me.

I immediately bombarded him with questions about the theory and physical aspect of the jutsu. He seemed to take them in stride as he gladly answered every question to the best of his ability. Which unfortunately wasn't good enough for me and I resoluted to go to the library tomorrow for more information. This is just too good to ignore!

Guy said that I'll have to improve my physical and spiritual energy.

"These two energies becoming more powerful will in turn make the created chakra more powerful. Therefore, practising a technique repeatedly will build up experience, increasing one's spiritual energy, and thus allowing more chakra to be created. As a result, the ninja is able to do that same technique with more power. This same cycle applies for physical energy, except the ninja needs to increase their endurance instead. That being said you should also never do jutsu without supervision in case something goes wrong," he said seriously with a no-kidding face.

Got to say, I have a little more respect for him now.

We worked on the jutsu for the rest of the evening.

I tried the jutsu out for myself with Guy watching my every move closely so that I wouldn't put myself in danger.

Unfortunetly, though I couldn't kawarimi more than 5 feet and got extreme motion sickness.

But as was said, I just have to practice until I'm immune to it.

By sunset I had greatly improved with Guy's encouraging words and pointers. I still couldn't kawarimi long distances but I could kawarimi to the _second_ lowest tree branch.

Providing I stood under it.

I was damn proud.

What I didn't expect though, was the complete exhaustion that came with messing with chakra.

"You have improved greatly my youthful little flower!" Guy beamed happily while I was on my knees, panting deeply, "How about a celebratory lap around Konoha?"

I shakily got to my feet and took one shaky step before I suddenly lost my balance and fell foreword, my closing.

The last thing I registered before losing consciousness was a strong chakra signal, different from Guy's rushing towards me.

* * *

I woke up at midnight confused as to where I was before it dawned on me that I was back at the orphanage.

Guy must've carried me here after I passed out.

Hearing the door creek I looked over and saw a pair of blue eyes peeking through the small crack before they widened upon realizing that I was awake and quickly closed the door, running away judging by the quick yet heavy footsteps.

An amused smile stretched on my lips over Naruto's antiques.

I was too tired to think too much about him though and decided to go back to sleep.

* * *

 **A/N I'm really sorry to those who wanted Naruto and Kira to become friends this chapter. I just got hit with so many new inspiration and ideas that I think I'm going to postpone their confrontation for a while.**

 **Questions:**

 **1 Can you relate to any of the things I write about in real life? (Going to the doctor's, shopping with mom/dad etc.)**

 **My friends told me that they said 'Same' at least three times while reading this.**

 **2 What area of expertise should she excel in and what suck in, taking into account that she has really good chakra control and that she's athletic? (Ninjutsu, Genjustu, Taijutsu, Fuuinjutsu, Senjustu etc.)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I Own Nothing**

* * *

 _One day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember_ – Avicii

* * *

I woke up the next day feeling horrible.

My muscles ached and my joints were stiff.

Still I rolled off the bed, grabbing a towel and a change of clothes since my clothes from yesterday's training session were dirty, it didn't matter though because I had some spare clothes and headed for the shower, hoping it was unoccupied. The orphanage only had two showers, one for the girls to use and one for the boys. I felt myself relax against the warm water. Sigh, so nice.

After cleaning myself up, I put on a black short-sleeved shirt under a blue sleeveless vest with a hoodie and dark blue, three quarter pants and ran downstairs to get breakfast. It was always a warzone in there, I long since learned that it was better to wake up as early in the morning as possible because this was the place, that took 'You snooze, you lose' to a whole new level.

I braided my semi-long hair into two low braids, so that they wouldn't fall into the bowl.

The breakfast consists of Tamago gohan, which is basically cooked rice topped with raw egg and soy sauce.

Today we were also served tamagoyaki.

Tamagoyaki is a type of omelette, which is made by rolling together several layers of cooked egg.

Picking up my chopsticks I muttered a quiet "Itadakimasu" and began eating. It wasn't very tasty but eatable. I heard a pair of footsteps stopping at my right and l looked up to see Naname-san awkwardly standing there. She was usually a cheerful person but was a bit unnerved by the blank stare I gave her.

Still, she forced a smile on her face, "Ohayo, Kira-san," she greeted me.

"Ohayo, Naname-san," I continued to eat my food, sure that she was going to leave but that didn't seem to be the case.

"What are you going to be doing today? You always seem to be going on your little adventures ever since Miyu-Sama gave you guys permission to do so," she said in a soft voice.

"Today I think I'm going to go to the library," I said for the sake of saying _something_ at least once a day, don't want them to think there's something wrong with me.

"Oh that's good, you always were a curious child, always with a book in your hand, never asking anybody to help understand the big words. You were always insistent that you look them up yourself. "

"Yeah, I'll try to be back on time this time," I said "I know you must've been worried."

"Huh?" She had a confused expression on her face,"What are you talking about? You were in your bed when I came did my check-up round."

At that my insides stilled but I didn't respond, just nodded my head and continued eating.

She shot me one last concerned look and took her leave.

How was it possible for me to be in my bed, when I was out later than the intended time I told Miyu-Sama?

Had Guy brought me here through a window?

Now that I think about it, how did Guy even know that I lived in the orphanage?

I was snapped out of my musings when I felt a pair of eyes on me. Looking around I found the same pair of blue eyes as yesterday. Onyx clashed with blue as he blushed at being caught and looked down as if his bowl of rice was the most interesting thing in the world, only to accidentally knock the bowl over causing the other kids to laugh. His face was bright red as he kept his head down, his wild hair covering his eyes.

I just sighed and stood up, taking my half-finished food with me and stalking off towards the kitchen where I gave my tray to the caretaker that had dish duties.

I saw from the corner of my eyes that he was watching my every move until I had left. I ignored him though and went to the front entrance.

Sitting down and putting on my right sandal, I sensed a large amount of chakra behind me.

"Where are you going?" came a small voice. I turned around to look at the source and saw Naruto himself standing there, half his body concealed by the wall he hid behind. He was looking at me timidly as if unsure if he should've spoken up.

Ah, of course he would be the one with the large chakra reserves. Not that it's a surprise, with him being an Uzumaki _and_ Ashura's reincarnation.

I didn't react though and calmly said "To the Konoha library."

"But," He said in a small voice, "We're not allowed to go anywhere by ourselves."

I was confused by this. "Of course we're allowed to go, providing that we tell Miyu–sama where we are going and what time we will be back," I said.

"We Are?!" he suddenly said in a louder voice. Then as if realizing that, he shrunk back into himself.

I raised an eyebrow at this but didn't comment, still keeping my face blank "Yes, we are. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going before it's too late."

"Wait!" He said in a louder voice, again. "Could you take me with you?!" He said urgently.

I thought about it, I really did but I couldn't find any way for this to end up in my favor. Firstly he'd need permission from the matron and considering the fact that he didn't know about being allowed outside on our own, I figured they didn't tell him because he wasn't allowed by the Third which is a smart move as half the population aren't exactly fond of him. Minato's dying wish for Naruto to be regarded as a hero would be honored by very few. Most of Konoha, however, openly ostracized and resented Naruto for containing the beast that devastated the village and took many lives; some even viewed Naruto as the Nine-Tails itself. The wounds of the attack are still fresh. The world is a harsh place. Even in the Before the only 'hey' I got there was 'Hey! Give me all your money or I'll break ya face!'

Secondly going into public with Naruto isn't exactly keeping it low.

And with that in mind I told him pretty bluntly "No, I can't because you don't have permission to go."

"B-but-!" he ran forward to me. When he reached me, I stood up from my sitting position and flicked him on the forehead.

"Ah!" he cried, putting his hands over his forehead.

When I walked to the front door, he called out to me again, "W-wait!" I stopped, still facing forward "U-Uhm, W-What's your name?"

"Kira."

"I-I'm Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto!" I could just _feel_ the bright smile on his face.

"I know," I opened the door but before stepping out I looked over my shoulder at him. "Sorry, Naruto, maybe next time."

* * *

Konoha has two libraries.

The Konoha Archive Library and The Konoha public library.

The Konoha Archive library is built into the Hokage mountain. Information on its ninja — past and current — is stored there, as well as other points of interest such as criminal organizations as well as other sensitive village information. Only ninja have access to that though.

The Konoha public library is centrally located and is accessible by all members of the village. It contains books referring to many subjects ranging from medical textbooks to fantasy books.

Which is where I'll be going.

I'm hoping I could find a book about E-level justu, such as the henge, then handseals and Konoha's codes, so that if the invasions start I would know when, where, and who. The village had different codes to all sorts of situations and if I learn them I'll know where to _not_ be.

While Guy's explanations were great, they still lacked the theories I needed to perfect the jutsu to accommodate my own physical size and strength.

Finally stepping into the library I firstly noticed a genin team cleaning up the shelves while their jonin sensei lounging around, lazily keeping eye on the people there.

I scanned the endless rows and found that it was harder than expected. Not only where there so many books, the shelves were so high I couldn't see the ones at the very top! I've been here for an hour just looking at shelves that were within seeing distance to me.

Seeing that there wasn't anything on the lower shelves I debated whether I should risk climbing to the top of the bookcases to search from up there. I didn't want to be caught by that jonin. But seeing as there was no other choice unless I wanted to go back to the orphanage empty handed, I thought of the quickest and easiest way to get up there.

In the end I channeled my chakra to the soles of my feet and ran as quickly as I possibly could from the side to the top. The only problem was that since I haven't had much practice I knew I would lose my control any second, luckily it cancelled out just before I could reach the top and I was now hanging from the edge. Using my non-existent upper-body strength I tried to pull myself over but I couldn't. I was losing my strength to hold on, slowly slipping and looking down, I was about to let go when someone grabbed me from under my armpits and hoisted me up, so that we both were on the bookshelf.

It was the jonin.

My face started heating up without my consent, I rushed to explain to him why I was dangling like a rag doll from the shelves but he chuckled and ruffled my hair.

He has black hair which he is tied into a short, high-top ponytail. He also has a goatee and dark-green markings underneath his eyes — which gives him a somewhat lazy appearance but in knew from the intelligent glint in his eyes that it was just a pretense. Attire-wise, he wears the standard outfit of the Konoha shinobi consisting of the standard flak jacket and uniform

"That was pretty impressive, for a kid" he praised.

I just looked to the side only slightly annoyed at being called a kid.

"But that's not how you use chakra to stick to surfaces," he added as an afterthought.

 _Well what if I was freestyling_? I thought, irked. It's not like I have a teacher.

"I'm Ensui Nara," He nodded his head at me.

"I'm…trying to find a book," I decided against revealing my name to him, lest he report his findings to the Hokage, he is on a mission right now, as low-rank as it is. It's still a mission.

His lips tugged upwards at my words, most probably already figured it out that I didn't want to tell my name but thankfully didn't question it "Yes, I can see that. Is it something specific, maybe I can help you find it."

"No, I'll find it by myself thanks," I said wanting him to leave.

He, unfortunately, sensed that and called me out on it. Damn Nara.

"I seriously doubt that by the lost look on your face ever since coming here."

 _Looks like even for a D-rank mission, he watches everybody, even kids, closely. That's pretty perspective of him._

I sighed "Fine, I'm trying to find a book about shinobi codes." I'll just look up the jutsu at another time.

"Codes? Now why would you want to know about something as troublesome as codes?"

I responded smartly "Codes are useful, they can be used as not only for communication purposes but as weapons too. Besides, the world is made up of codes. For example, when people on two different boats want to send a message, they may be too far away to shout, but they can send messages with a flag code. Some people write codes as a kind of game. They think it is fun to make ciphers, and fun to break them. Breaking a code means taking it apart to understand how it works, and then you can understand messages that are written in that code. Another code is called Morse code, which changes letters to dots and dashes."

"Mōrusu code?" he asked confused as to what it was, his eyes sharpening.

Seeing my mistake I quickly said "I want to learn how to encode and decode as well. So can you help or not?" That was kind of rude but I had little patience by now. I just wanted the damn book and go get something to eat.

"Yeah," he said slowly and unsurely and in a flash he was gone but only a second passed before he appeared again.

 _Was that a sunshin?_

"Here, this is probably the best you could find here," he handed me a _very_ dusty old book.

I was a bit put down by this but took it anyway and thanked him.

"No problem, though work on your chakra control more okay. It would be a drag to hear you're in the hospital because of something as troublesome as that."

I just nodded my head and began walking to the exit.

Only to find that I was still on top of the bookshelf.

"Need a lift?" came an amused voice behind me.

 _Damn Nara._

* * *

Looking for a place to eat is kinda hard considering how huge Konoha actually is. There are very few places you could go to eat.

Amaguriama - a sweet shop in Konoha located on Konoha Tea Avenue, specialising in chestnut candies, such as chestnut jellies and jams, and roasted-chestnuts.

The Dango Shop - a well-known shop in Konoha, that's famous for its dango. The shop serves many other desserts that use dango in them, such as anmitsu.

Ichiraku Ramen - a small restaurant in Konoha, which serves different kinds of ramen.

The Shushuya - is a pub in Konoha that sells sake and all the food is put on a single large plate.

The Yakiniku Q – basically a BBQ restaurant in Konoha.

Since I had no idea where any of the were I just walked around until I came by one of them. Eventually I stumbled upon the Dango-shop.

The problem though was that I didn't have any money, which means one thing.

Pickpocketing.

Because I'm small with thin hands I figured I could get away with it. I picked an easy target from the people walking opposite of me, a grouchy man with a sneering face that I wouldn't feel bad about pickpocketing and purposely bumped into him.

"Oh! My bad, sorry," I said my hand quickly going into his pocket when he stumbled a little forward.

"Damn, Gaki," he snarled and continued in his walk.

Smirking in victory I threw the guy's wallet into the air and caught it in my hand, hearing a booming laugh, I turned around to see a shinobi with a similar smirk on his face.

"Not bad, not bad at all," he muttered.

He was large with a bandana and a trench coat over a uniform. He also had two parallel scars on his face. I knew him.

Ibiki Morino.

In his hands was a plate of dango.

"Torture must take a lot out of you," I muttered, surprised to see such a respected man eating a plate of dango, of all things.

He must've heard me though for he, again, let out a booming laughter.

"I like you kid, you know what as a reward for successfully pickpocketing a complete stranger without him noticing I'll buy you some dango." He said with a sadistic glint in his eyes.

"How do you know I wanted dango? I could've pickpocketed him for something else," I said with a raised eyebrow.

"Gaki please, by the growling of your stomach, your shabby clothes and fingernails, I've gathered that you're a hungry orphan in training, as ridiculous as it sounds, I'm not the Head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force for nothing you know, " he retorted.

Well I'll be damned, this guy sure knows how to gather information. He's like the Sherlock of Konoha.

* * *

 **Naruto's P.O.V**

Kira. That name is important to me.

Ever since I could remember, this orphanage, the people here have been nothing but mean. The adults always looking warily in my direction and the other kids always staying away from me.

They always laughed when I made a mistake, like when I fall down or couldn't reach high places 'cause I'm shorter than the rest of 'em or knocked something over.

She didn't though.

She never laughed at me.

Well, she didn't react to pretty much anything…but at least she didn't laugh!

In fact, I don't think she remembers but when we were little, like little little she helped me reach for a toy that the mean taller kids put on the higher shelf to have a laugh at me.

She gave them a nasty glare that made them shut up and shuffled over beside me and, on her tiptoes, she reached for the toy. At first I was sure she would be just as mean and take the toy away from me. I had felt a sob forming at the back of my throat but I wouldn't cry! So I closed my eyes and willed the tears away but opened them again to find the strange girl holding the toy out for me.

I was shocked.

For the first time someone did something for _me_! Someone paid attention to _me_!

I slowly took the toy from her hands and watched her take a book from the table from the main room and go outside under a tree to read.

The toy forgotten, I decided to instead watch her and thought _why? Why was she so different from everybody else?_

That's when it hit me.

She didn't have the _look_.

The same look on the faces of all the adults or the look the other kids gave me.

The look as if I wasn't worthy of even being **acknowledged**.

I hated that look.

Which was probably what attracted me to her in the first place. She looked at me as if I wasn't dirt under her feet but an **equal**!

I didn't know what it was like to have a friend but it felt like we almost were. I mean she helped me, that has got to mean something!

I felt as though there was something that connected us to each other.

I was too afraid to approach her right now, fearing she would reject me but I'll make her see that I'm not as awful as everybody makes me to be and then we can be friends, maybe even best friends!

So I decided to watch over her for now.

Covering for her by distracting the caretakers when I saw her climb over the fence during play time. And then wandering around the fence to see when she would sneak back over the fence so I would know that she was okay.

I didn't know where she went but I hope that one day she would show me that special place. It's got to be a special place if she risks getting punished by the caretakers if she gets caught.

I make sure she doesn't though. Even if I have to get myself in trouble.

* * *

One day when it was play time all the other kids my age went somewhere else, including her.

Why did all of them leave? We weren't supposed to leave by ourselves. Did they get adopted?

As selfish as it is I hoped not, I wouldn't know what to do if she left me.

At the end of the day though, they all came back.

Everyone but her.

I panicked, thinking the worst.

 _No it couldn't be. Just watch, she'll walk right through this door any second now!_ I was determined to wait for her, all night if I had to!

 _Just please come back._

But as determined as I was, sleep still clouded my vision and I promptly fell asleep near the front entrance.

* * *

I woke up some time later. The hard wood against my back making my spine hurt.

It was dark out.

 _Why did I fall asleep her_ e? I thought, still getting used to my surroundings.

 _Oh yeah!_

I quickly jumped to my feet and ran as fast as my legs could take me to the girl's side of the house.

I stopped in front of her door, panting.

Gulping, I slowly opened the door, just a crack.

 _She's there!_

I could've jumped for joy! She didn't leave! She's still here!

Then she turned towards the door. Her eyes locked with mine. I don't know why but I ran back to my room. When I finally reached my door I ran inside, closing the door and jumping under my covers grinning from ear to ear.

She was there!

I realized that maybe it was time to approach her. Years have past and she still never treated me differently than the rest of 'em.

 _Yeah! By tomorrow we're going to be friends!_

* * *

The next day I was still working up the courage to talk to her.

When I saw her coming down for breakfast I couldn't take my eyes off her.

How should I approach her? How do friends become, ya know, Friends?!

She must've sensed me looking at her and she looked over to me. I blushed at the fact that I got caught staring.

What do I do?

Then I accidentally knocked over my bowl and everyone started laughing at me again.

 _Oh no, now she's gonna think that I'm a total klutz and won't want to be my friend anymore!_

But when I saw her, again not laughing with the others, I felt a little more hopeful.

Maybe, just maybe.

When I saw her leave I took off after her. I reached the corner and took a calming breath.

"Where are you going?" I asked her.

"To the Konoha library," she said. I was confused.

"But, we're not allowed to go anywhere by ourselves."

Now she was the one who looked confused. "Of course we're allowed to go, providing that we tell Miyu–sama where we are going and what time we will be back."

What?! I was told that we weren't allowed to go anywhere by ourselves.

"We Are?!" I asked to make sure, but I knew she wouldn't lie.

"Yes, we are. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get going before it's too late."

I can't let her leave. Again. What if something happens and I won't be there to save her.

"Wait!" I said urgently, "Could you take me with you?!"

She was silent for a while but finally replied "No, I can't because you don't have permission to go."

"B-but-!" I ran forward to her. When I reached her, she flicked me on the forehead.

"Ah!" I cried, putting my hands over my forehead. It didn't hurt but I definitely wasn't expecting that!

"W-wait!" her name! I had to know her name! "U-Uhm, W-What's your name?"

"Kira."

I hurriedly intorduced myself "I-I'm Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto!" grinning brightly.

"I know," She opened the door but before stepping out, looked over her shoulder at me. "Sorry, Naruto, maybe next time."

My eyes widened. I watched her leave with awe.

That was the first time someone has actually, truly acknowledged me.

Kira. That's the name of my first friend, even though she doesn't know that yet.

So that name is important to me.

It's written in my heart!

* * *

 **A/N As always R &R**

 **I also want to thank all of those people who have praised my work even though I'm just an amateur.**

 **Questions**

 **1 If you could summon any animal, what animal would it be?**

 **I think mine would be an owl, in loving memory of Hedwig, *Hunger games whistle***

 **2 How do you think Kira's relationship with the Rookie 9 will be like?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Get yourselves ready for some major flashbacks.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

* * *

" _There's a moment, where you have to choose whether to be silent, or to speak up"_ – Malala

* * *

Kakashi ran as fast as he could along the rooftops to the Hokage tower.

 _It couldn't be. It's not possible!_ He thought.

He ran from the side of tower, to the very top, ignoring the curious ANBU operatives stationed in the shadows there and jumped to the Hokage's office through a window.

The Hokage calmly sat there, expecting him for he sensed the chakra that was Kakashi's flare at him. He looked up from the paperwork he was in the middle of doing and sent Kakashi a curious look.

"Ah, Kakashi, I was not expecting you to be here so soon after giving you a few days off from missions. Did something hap-"

"How long?!"Kakashi more demanded to know than asked, keeping his voice calm but the rage in his eyes could not be more obvious to the ageing Hokage, "How long have you known?!"

The Hokage knew instantly to whom he was referring to.

He had seen their interaction through The Telescope technique. A technique that uses a crystal ball to track a particular individual anywhere they are, as long as he knew the chakra pattern of the person he's tracking. He knew that she would be at the shopping district in the village and had Kakashi purposely walk there after dismissing him from a mission report. The Hokage knew Kakashi would walk by there for you had to walk past the shopping district from the Hokage tower to reach the Memorial Stone where one would find Kakashi visiting there frequently.

He knew the young child would be there, he watched from the crystal ball the caretakers he had assigned to take care of Kira more efficiently than the last ones.

The Hokage let out a long heavy sigh "I understand your anger Kakashi but I could not reveal the identity of the child to you until now for many reasons. A great burden has been placed on that child."

"I do not care for your reasons," he said out of anger "she is the precious sister of my long lost friend and you dare keep her existence from me?! What information could be so sensitive that I could not even be informed of her existence?"

Kakashi's hands curled into fist, shaking "I thought she died, that's what Minato-sensei had told me!"

The Hokage's eye's sharpened as he looked Kakashi in the eye "You must understand Kakashi, that what I'm about to tell cannot, under any circumstance, leave the walls of this room."

Kakashi straightened up at that, like a seasoned shinobi about to be given an S-ranked mission.

"I understand," he said out of habit.

The Sandaime Hokage took out a folder from his desk drawer that he had removed the previous day from the Konoha Archive library, from the secret vault of the Highly Secretive files, that was built underground. Only the Hokage and his advisors have access to it. He handed the folder to Kakashi who took it with an air of nervousness around him. He looked inside the file to find that it was information about Kira.

Giving him a moment to read the contents, the Hokage watched his eyes widen from shock. But before Kakashi could say something, the Hokage spoke up.

"As you have read the files I'm sure you can now see the…unique circumstance the child is in." The hokage locked his fingers under his chin.

Kakashi, still getting over the shock, searched his eyes for any sign of deceit, but found none "B-But how? None of the othe-"

"The others didn't even _survive_ the Kyuubi's chakra, if you can recall Kakashi. Kira was the only one to be close, to the point of suffocation for babies, to the Kyuubi and survive. And how she survived is what's truly amazing! According to the medics, when she was born, she was sorely lacking in her yang chakra. So much so that they believed that she would die the next few days after she was born. That's why Minato told you that she died when she was born, because he didn't want you to feel as if it was your fault. Instead of giving her to the clan, he had her put into the orphanage to at least be free of prying eyes before her untimely death, but then the Kyuubi attacked. It is unbelievable to hear that not only did the Kyuubi _save_ her life but gave her the necessary chakra needed to live a full life! As a result though now her chakra is half Kyuubi's, which ultimately will make her face many hardships in the future."

Kakashi looked down at the picture on the document of her. They have to update pictures yearly for these.

She looked so much like him. Except for the red stripes in her hair.

"Why does her hair have red stripes?" kakashi asked in a daze, still taking in the information.

"Ah, that also seems to be the Kyuubi's doing. You see before she had white stripes, from the genetic defect but then they had turned red from exposure to the Kyuubi's chakra," explained the Hokage, carefully looking at Kakashi's face to find any signs of what he thought about the situation.

But kakashi's mind was elsewhere.

 _She's alive, Obito._

 _Flashback_

 _Team Minato was to be meeting up for another mission at the Hokage tower. As always Kakashi and Minato were there on the dot with Rin following not too far behind. And, as usual, Obito was late._

" _How long do we have to wait this time? It's like he deliberately doesn't take being a shinobi seriously," complained a young Kakashi._

" _Now, now Kakashi, I'm sure he'll be here any minute," said Minato as patient as always._

 _Rin put a hand on his shoulder, giggling "That's right Kakashi. Besides you should be used to it by now."_

 _True to Minato's words, Uchiha Obito himself came barreling down from the rooftop of a tall nearby building, grinning excitedly._

" _Heeeyyyy!" he yelled jumping down._

" _Guess what, guess what?" he said eagerly loud, jumping from one foot to another._

 _Kakashi rolled his eyes "What? You need to go to the bathroom?"_

" _NO!" He yelled furiously, then he grinned "I've got some exiting news!"_

" _What is it Obito?" inquired a fondly smiling Minato. He never got tired of their antics._

" _I'm going to be a big brother soon!" He yelled enthusiastically, smiling wide._

" _That's great Obito," said Rin delightfully, putting her fingertips together, "I just know you're going to be the best big brother ever!"_

" _Hehe, yup, my Okaa-san told me this morning that she and dad have decided to have another baby. Gah, I'm so excited!" He pumped his fist into the air as they started walking to the Hokage's office._

" _That poor child, whatever did he or she do to get this punishment…" sighed a mocking Kakashi._

" _Bastard!" But before a fight could be broken out in the middle of the Hokage tower, Minato smoothly intercepted._

" _Congratulations Obito! Ne, tell me, Obito do you know why older siblings are born?" Asked a mysteriously smiling Minato._

" _Eh?" Obito had a confused look on his face stopping before the Hokage's door._

" _What do ya mean sensei?"_

 _Chuckling, Minato answered his own question "It's so they can protect the younger ones."_

 _Obito looked at him in amazement then determinedly said "Not to worry sensei, I'll be sure to protect him or her, with my life!"_

 _At that moment the door was opened and they all saw a chuckling Hokage, "Well, it's nice to hear that you already think of him or her as your most precious person, young Obito."_

 _Obito embarrassedly scratched his cheek "Hehe Yeah!"_

 _Flashback end_

He really was happy and thrilled of the idea of becoming an older brother. He practically ran around the village all day, proclaiming his soon-to-be status. Going to all his past classmates and telling the good news.

 _Flashback_

" _Yosh! Youthful Obito's becoming even more youthful! Oh, the springtime of youth never fails!" exclaimed a grinning Guy._

 _Kurenai sighed at Guy's antics then looked at Obito with a small smile "Congratulations Obito, do you already know what his or her name will be?"_

 _Obito smiled, scratching his cheek "No, my parents are still deciding but_ _ **I**_ _think if it's a boy then his name should be Hiroyuki."_

"' _Widespread happiness' I can already guess why you chose that name but what about a girl's name?" Asuma said, taking his lollipop out of his mouth for a moment._

 _Obito beamed at that "If it's a girl, I definitely want her name to be Kira."_

"' _Dark Lady', why would you choose that?"_

 _Obito sheepishly scratched the back of his neck and grinned with an adoring look in his eyes "I just think it sounds both pretty and strong, just like how I'd imagine she would be like."_

 _Flashback end_

That was two weeks before the events of Kanabi bridge. And even in his dying moments did he not forget about his younger sibling.

 _Flashback_

 _They ran out of the collapsing cave, rock's flying everywhere._

" _Kakashi!" cried Rin._

 _Obito looked behind him and saw that Kakashi had tripped, running to him he pushed Kakashi out of the way of an incoming boulder, unfortunately getting stuck under it as a result. They tried to push it off him but it was useless._

" _Stop," Obito pleaded," It's…useless anyway…I can't…feel the right side of…my body."_

 _Rin was sobbing by now and Kakashi's eye watered "Damn it!" he cursed," If only I had listened to you from the beginning," he was now pounding the ground with his fist, "So what if I'm the captain…So what if I'm a jonin?!" he sobbed._

" _Yeah… that's right…" obito smiled weakly "I was the only one… who didn't get you a present… for becoming a jonin, Kakashi."_

 _Kakashi now looked at him, his eye, that was not damaged wide._

 _Obito continued "I was wondering…what to give you…and I just had a thought." He gave a weak chuckle at his bewildered expression, "Heh, don't worry…it's not some useless, extra baggage…I'm giving you… my Sharingan."_

 _Kakashi gapped at him while Obito looked him in the eye with his next words "No matter what the village might say…you are a great jonin…Kakashi. So please… accept it."_

 _He looked at Rin this time "Rin…use your Medical ninjutsu. Take the entire eye… and transplant…my Sharingan…into Kakashi's left eye."_

 _Rin realized that this was Obito's last wish and was determined to fulfill it to the best of her abilities, she looked at Kakashi, "Kakashi, come over here. I need to start right away."_

 _Kakashi sported an unsure look._

" _Also… please…watch over…little Kira-Chan…okay?"_

 _Kakashi let out a small gasp at those words and trailed his good eye towards Obito at those words. "Kira-Chan?"_

 _Obito grinned weakly but with an affectionate sparkle in his remaining eye "Yeah…my imouto… I know it probably sounds stupid…but…I just have this gut-feeling that…it's going to be a girl…I'm sad that… I won't get to see her grow up… or play with her… or teach her… or protect her… or shower her with the love I already have for her from the very bottom of my heart…but… I'll watch over her…from the other side…I'll wait for her."_

" _Kakashi," Obito addressed suddenly "I'm about to... die... but I'll become your eye... and see the future with you."_

 _Flashback end_

Kakashi had taken Obito's words to heart and was dead-set on watching over Obito's sibling for him, to tell him or her of what an amazing older brother she would have had and what he did for the village to help in the war. He could at least do that for him.

The only problem was his parents. They tried many times to conceive but Obito's mother suffered through many miscarriages and it seemed unlikely that she would get pregnant at all. Many believed it was caused by the death of Obito.

Then finally after many years, ' found herself expectant. It was only a few months later though that her husband, Obito's father, died. An S-rank mission gone wrong apparently. The woman couldn't take it anymore and looked lifeless. She ceased taking care of herself and the once beautiful woman was unrecognizable. She barely ate anything and if Kakashi hadn't been there to make sure she ate, she would've died with the baby.

Kakashi hadn't allowed it, he had after all promised Obito to watch over his sibling and that indirectly also meant taking care of her. So he resolved to watch over the woman when he was not on a special mission, making sure she ate and that the baby was okay. He did a pretty good job and the woman's pregnancy seemed to be going along nicely. In fact she was close to giving birth to him or her when Kakashi was called in for an emergency mission. He tried to be back before the birth, he even felt a little excited.

When he returned though, everything went to hell. Minato-sensei told him that the woman died from blood loss after the birth and the baby-a girl the woman decided to name Kira after Obito's never-ending requests-had died as well. He had fallen into depression, after failing to save Obito and Rin, now he had also failed little Kira-Chan.

Because he lost two teammates in such a short amount of time, many believed he purposely killed Rin, earning him the nickname 'Friend-Killer Kakashi'. He at night would be haunted by dreams of himself killing Rin again and his failure of keeping his promise to Obito. Minato, the newly appointed Hokage tried to give Kakashi a new direction in life by assigning him to the ANBU. Kakashi did well in the ANBU, eventually becoming a captain and the leader of Team Ro, consisting of him, Yamato, Yūgao and, as of now, Itachi Uchiha. However, his cold behavior and his ruthlessness in combat are what made his missions successful, signs that he was still upset by Rin's and Kira-Chan's death. Minato therefore tried a different tactic, assigning Kakashi to protect his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, during her pregnancy. It felt like a blow to his heart to be given such a task again but Kakashi filled his responsibilities as an ANBU. During his time off, he would visit Rin's grave and Obito's engraving to tell them his regrets and how life was going without them.

During the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha, Kakashi and many other young ninja their age were prevented from helping defend the village, instead being confined within a barrier to keep them safe.

Minato eventually saved the village from the Kyuubi, but at the cost of his and Kushina's lives, making Naruto an orphan.

Later, Kakashi was convinced by Danzō Shimura that their deaths were because of the Third Hokage's policies. Not realizing that he was being manipulated, Kakashi agreed to spy on the Hokage for Root, an officially disbanded branch of Konoha's ANBU training subdivision founded by Danzō Shimura, who gives them secret mission that he believes are beneficial to Konoha.

During a mission, Kakashi encountered another Root member with a codename "Kinoe" who was able to use Wood Release. Knowing that Wood Release was unique only to the First Hokage, Kakashi broke into the Hokage Tower to see what he could learn about Wood release. The Third caught him, but gave him the information he wanted. Konoha had tried to recreate the Wood Release powers in the past, but abandoned the project for killing too many test subjects. The Third even admitted that had the results been successful, the Kyuubi's attack could have ended a different way for the First Hokage used the Wood release to restrain the Tailed Beast in the past to sell off to the other nations.

After that, it became clear to Kakashi that the Third was not the unproductive leader Danzō had made him out to be. Also, Danzō had not used Kinoe to try and stop the Kyuubi's attack. Realizing he was on the wrong side, Kakashi told the Third about Danzō's plans to assassinate him and, the following day, lured out the assassins, of whom Kinoe turned out to be one. Kakashi easily defeated him, holding a chidori that he could've easily killed him with but chose to spare his life in case he would one day prove to be an ally. Kakashi attempted to resign from the ANBU afterwards for working against the Hokage, but the Third insisted his services were invaluable and made Kakashi his right-hand man.

And it was because of that, that Kakashi knew there was a reason the Hokage was telling him this.

"Based on what you've said, you want me to do something and it involves her."

"Yes, you see Kakashi, unlike Naruto, Kira's half of the Kyuubi's chakra isn't sealed. I thought it unnecessary for she doesn't hold the real thing. But I fear that the older she gets the more of the Kyuubi's chakra will also grow in her as if it was her own chakra. And if that happens, some part of the Kyuubi might come to reside in the girl as the Tailed Beast are made out of chakra," The Hokage's eyes became razor-sharp at his next words," And if that is the case, Kira might just become Kyuubi's second jinchūriki."

The God of shinobi noticed that Kakashi look stunned at what the Proffesor had just said "Of course I am not certain yet, it is all just a hypothesis. But even if the chance is only 1% I cannot ignore it. Kakashi as ANBU's most efficient and skilled operative I'm assigning you a highly classified mission to observe Kira. Until she enters the academy, you must monitor her actions and detect any changes in her chakra pattern."

Sensing that he didn't have a choice in the matter, all Kakashi could say was "Hai, Hokage-sama."

* * *

What an interesting child Kira grew up to be, Kakashi mused from atop of a tree branch near the orphanage. While looking like the carbon-copy of her older brother, personality wise, she is nothing like he was. Calm and collected with a hint of high intelligence shining in her eyes while her brother was clumsy and irresponsible. Kakashi didn't know whether to be relieved or sad about that.

Even has made a name for herself as Chinmoku no masutā, ironic considering how loud her brother was.

Ever since Kakashi was assigned the task of observing Kira, he has been carrying out his duties faithfully, monitoring Kira from the shadows whenever she left the orphanage and leaving one of his dogs to watch her at night. He discovered her sneaking off to go train in a nearby clearing, until she was allowed a little of her own freedom. She has excellent chakra control, he mused, she could become a medic-nin at this rate, if she wanted to. And just like the Third had predicted her chakra coils where, in fact, expanding with the Kyuubi's chakra, the process of it was very slow but to a trained sensor, it was noticeable. However, if it's going to spread any faster, they will be forced to take action and seal it.

Fortunately, she didn't seem to be aware of the foreign chakra in her system. This was discovered when one day she decided to run around the village instead of her little clearing. Kakashi had panicked when he saw her walk to the gate, unaware that she had only wanted to go for a run around the village, instead thinking she was going to leave the village itself. He calmed though when he saw her running away from the gate and not to the gate. He watched her interaction with Guy, a little jealous for he wouldn't be able to approach her now that he was guarding her.

He had seen them train and observed her chakra patterns when she had used her chakra to do the kawarimi. Nothing seemed to be out of place, in fact, she didn't even touch the Kyuubi's chakra, as if unconsciously staying away from it.

Thank Kami for small prayers.

When she collapsed of exhaustion he quickly rushed to her, catching her before she even touched the ground.

"It's her, isn't it" came a voice behind him, Kakashi looked over his shoulder at Guy. Even in his ANBU uniform, Guy would recognize his eternal rival even a mile away. Carefully picking Kira up and cradling her in his arms, Kakashi nodded "Yeah."

"I thought she d-"

"So did I" interrupted kakashi, not wanting to hear the word "until now that is."

They both were silent for a while. Then Guy looked at Kakashi "Take care of her, don't break your promise a second time." _I don't know if you'll be able to handle it if you did_ , went unsaid by him.

Kakashi faced him with frim eyes, that one could see through his mask, "Hai."

And with that he left Guy to the training ground to take Kira back to the orphanage.

Carefully placing her on her bed, Kakashi took a moment to look at her features more closely before making his exit via open window when he heard a caretaker coming this way. She really did look like a female version of her brother, except for the red stripes in her hair but they made her look that much more fierce. Just like Obito had wanted her to be like.

 _I will not fail this time, not again._

Since Kakashi had a small but important mission the following day, he summoned Pakkun to watch Kira and report any findings to him should there be anything.

Only to find them in the library, with Pakkun in the shadows and his charge dangling from the edge of a bookcase.

Kakashi growled at the pup. "Hey, look don't get quick to anger, see there the Nara helped her out. I'm gonna go to sleep now." Pakkun yawned and went back to the Summoning Realm.

Kakashi sighed, shaking his head at the eccentric dog and took over monitoring Kira.

A few moments later you could find an eye-twitching Kakashi watching Kira and Ibiki share a plate of dango and cheerfully chatting about how stealing from strangers is a useful skill.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So did I do it? Had I blown your minds?**

 **I hope she didn't come off as too much of a Mary-Sue.**

 **Anyway this chapter was brought to you by lizy2000's request of wanting to know what the F is going on.**

 **Lizy2000's her username, pestering people for answers is her game. Haha, just kidding, love you :D**

 **ILoveRebornNarutoKProject: I am sooooo eternally grateful for your kind words and I hope you'll keep liking my story :D *Virtual hug***

 **xFarxAwayx: Hahaha! Oh my God, dude. I was actually having a really bad day at school but reading your review almost made me laugh out loud in class. Thank you for that!**

 **14desousas: Hey don't diss the giant squirrels, that sounds awesome. Thank you for sharing that!**

 **Claciro: Uh, well you see I try to update as frequently as I can. What I do is that as soon as I finish posting a new chapter I immediately begin writing another buuuuut sometimes I can't find the imagination to finish them in one day so I don't know if I'll be able to update every day…yeah…Hope that answered your question!**

 ** **94** : Wow, I haven't even thought about that, niiiiccceee *Virtual high-five***

 **DarkDust27: Awesome ideas, thanks for the feedback *Virtual fist-bump***

 **NOTHINGButADREAM: Sharks ARE awesome buuuuut imagine if she fought KISAME!**

 **Kira *Summoning Shark-sama***

 **Kisame "DAFUQ?!" O.o**

 **Hahahahaha XD**

 **Thank you for all of the reviews and feedback guys!**

 **Questions**

 **1 If you could be reborn as an Uchiha, an Uzumaki, a Senju or a Nara, which would you choose?**

 **2 Which one of the Sannin would you like to be your sensei?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N I'm soooooooooo sorry for not updating for a long time but here's a consolation for making you guys wait.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own squat.**

* * *

" _With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts."-_ Eleanor Roosevelt

* * *

I was sitting under a Sakura-tree, really reading for once. Yesterday was a pretty eventful day, but by all means not totally bad. The book of codes that Ensui Nara had given me was actually pretty useful for all the dustiness it has. The following conversation with Ibiki though was pretty…interesting to say the least.

 _"Gaki please, by the growling of your stomach, your shabby clothes and fingernails, I've gathered that you're a hungry orphan in training, as ridiculous as it sounds, I'm not the Head of the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force for nothing you know, " he retorted._

 _Well I'll be damned, this guy sure knows how to gather information. He's like the Sherlock of Konoha._

 _"How did you know I'm training?" I asked suspiciously, he could tell that just by looking at my fingernails? What else does he know?_

 _He let a cocky smirk grace his face "Why don't we go get those dango and talk it over?"_

 _Weighing the pros and cons I finally nodded "Alright, but keep your hands where I can see them, and you have to walk in front of me."_

 _"Heh, you cautious," he grinned, showing his sharp teeth, "I respect that." And with that, they walked into the shop, Ibiki walking in front as promised._

 _The waitress had a curious look on her face seeing an intimidating shinobi with a civilian child but let it slide for the child didn't seem to be in trouble. Since I've never had dango before, I let Ibiki order me three sticks of Mitarashi dango and he got himself eight sticks._

 _We didn't say anything for a while, opting to just have a stare down, until the waitress brought our dango and placed a cup of green tea in front of me. Since I hadn't ordered green tea I looked at the waitress questionably but she just gave me a smile and moved along._

 _"Important information in your hand can be a powerful weapon for your comrades and the village." I jumped at the sudden booming voice and glared at Ibiki._

 _He smirked down at me, clearly it was intentional. I thought about what he said for a while and came up with a question. Furrowing my eyebrows, I challenged "But how do you separate the false information from the truth?" truly curious as to what his answer will be._

 _He smirked as if he was waiting to be asked that question since we met "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be-"_

"The TRUTH," I mumbled out loud what he had said "You be sure remember that."

"Children!" came Naname-san's voice from the doorstep of the orphanage, snapping me to attention "Come inside, we have special guests here to talk to you."

Closing my book I stood up and followed the rest of the kids inside. Once inside we were led to the main room of the orphanage, the only room to fit all the kids, besides the cafeteria. There stood one man and one woman. That was the only difference between, however. While the woman was dressed in civilian clothing and was squirming around, wringing her fingers out of nervousness, the man was dressed in chunin cloths, stood perfectly straight and had an easy, practiced smile on his face. Ah, it must be time to go to school. They must've picked the least scariest chunin out of them, I mused, clever.

"Now kids, these are teachers from the village's Academy. They are here to introduce you to their school's curriculum and, if necessary, help you choose which side you'd like to go to. The Academy has two parts; the shinobi curriculum and the civilian curriculum. The Academy teaches all basic things for civilians and future shinobi alike. Though those who choose to pursue the shinobi career have some lessons that are shinobi-based. These two teachers here are representatives of each side."

The kids started muttering all around me, whispering silently into each other's ears. Hey look, there's one of those shinobi they said protect the village; Really? Wow, he must be really strong!; What are they doing here?; Is someone in trouble?; He looks so dreamy¬…Sighed a few girls.

THAT made a cocky smirk come to the chunin's face "Hello, my name is Ryu and I'm a teacher representing the shinobi part of Konoha's Academy. There, as your caretaker told you, students are taught basics, such as reading, writing, science, geography, mathematics, quantum physics and so on. But these lessons are framed in a ninja-context, and are learned in order to use later instruction in tactics and strategy. Meaning if you choose to attend the Academy you'll be learning how to become a shinobi or a kunoichi. Come to me if you wish to learn about the admission requirements or for further information." He bowed at the end.

The woman stepped up next, smiling timidly. She kind of reminded me of Hinata, "Good afternoon, my name is Yuuki and I teach the civilian part of the Academy, for those who do not wish to follow the shinobi path and become, for example, traders or merchants instead. If you wish to sign up, please come talk to me. Thank you for listening." She also bowed at the end of her speech.

The muttering and whispering started again, everyone deciding what to do. On one hand becoming a shinobi would be cool but the profession has a high kill rate, on the other hand becoming someone like a merchant is boring but you'll probably live to see your grandkids.

Well no need to convince me further.

I promptly took a walked towards Yuuki and signed my name on the sheet, receiving a standard bag with some pencils and notebooks in it from Yuuki-san. She also handed me a piece of paper which had the time I had to be at the Academy entrance ceremony. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Naruto looking towards me with a sad expression on his face as he signed his name on the sheet before Ryu.

"Now children, listen up, there is also some very exciting news!" Naname-san said excitedly, "Those who choose to take an independence test to move out of the orphanage, may do so tomorrow. The test consists of two portions; investment and cooking, both are essential for you if wish to live in an apartment complex and of course an orphan fund that you will be provided with once you pass the test."

Now THAT caught my attention. Apparently, in the Naruto-verse, it's not considered weird or worrying for a child to live alone. Of course, as Naname-san said, one can only apply for an apartment once they have passed an independence test.

I already know how to go around with spending my money from the Before. It's the cooking part that stumps me though. I only know how to cook things that haven't been introduced here, like pancakes. Here it's all about sushi and other Japanese-styled stuff that are too complicated to even understand.

Looks like I have my work cut out for me for a while.

* * *

After hearing about the independence test, I set out to find myself a cooking book. Fortunately the orphanage had a few for just such an occasion. In the test you have to know at least how to make two dishes.

Flipping through the book in my room, I came across a simple looking dish.

Katsudon.

Seems simple enough.

Going through the book again, I also found how to make Onigiri, which are basically the Japanese equivalent to sandwiches.

The Academy didn't start till the end of summer, so I had a few weeks to take test, move into an apartment and then come accustomed to the changes.

The only thing that would take a hit would be my training, but I guess I could practice my chakra control when the other kids are asleep.

And with that I set out to work.

* * *

Reading the cook book, although helpful, wasn't enough for me.

So I reluctantly asked the cook for some help.

The kitchen in the orphanage in small, but it has enough equipment to make the food I wanted to make so I wasn't going to complain.

He was really nice, the cook. The moment I asked for some help, he smiled a happy smile and picked me up to put me on the counter, so that we could be eye-level. He seemed to enjoy teaching others how to cook and he was very patient.

"Alright little one, here's what you're going to need: one Tonkatsu, some dashi, soy sauce, sugar, eggs, green onions - that we'll chop later - some steamed Rice and roasted seaweed (Nori)."

I quickly set out to get them, running around the place while the cook looked on amused. What can I say, I like cooking.

When I found them, the cook continued, "Cut Tonkatsu into strips, and set aside for now. In a small frying pan, add Dashi, soy sauce, sugar, and cook at medium heat until it boils. Add the cut Tonkatsu to the sauce in the pan. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and pour over the Tonkatsu until it covers the whole thing and cook for a minute. Sprinkle chopped green onions if you like. Put in Tonkatsu and eggs with sauce over rice in a bowl. Sprinkle sliced Nori on top and you're done!"

Nodding in thanks, I started with the dish. The sauce started to heat in the frying pan, I decide to in the meanwhile, start on the Onigiri.

In the end, with a little bit of the cooks help, I made actual edible food. I gave it to the matron Miyu-Sama for testing and when she took her first bite, she seemed to be surprised and said that I had passed.

The next day I Naname-san gave me and the other kids applying for the apartments a test to see how responsible we would spend our money. The test had basic mathematic problems and interest ratings, percentages etc.

I passed with flying colors.

* * *

The day after, the other kids and I who have passed where led to an apartment complex just a little ways from the shopping district. What surprised me though was the fact that we were walking right into an apartment complex that was shown as Naruto's in the anime and manga.

Great.

Looking around I couldn't find the little jinchuriki's spiky blond head of hair anywhere. The Hokage must've wanted to show him around personally or he didn't pass. Though I would bet my money on the former for I'm sure the Hokage pulled some strings to get him his own apartment. If I remember correctly, he couldn't cook to save his poor little life.

We were each given a key and our monthly allowance that we were told to spend wisely.

My apartment was on the very top floor, which was good 'cause I don't want to be the poor sucker that lived _under_ Naruto.

The apartment was already furnished and the fridge was packed. Huh, so they gave us a head start.

If you walk in then you're basically already in the living room, that was connected to the kitchen and there were only two doors on the left side of the apartment, one leading to the bedroom and the other to the bathroom. It also had a balcony.

Putting what little I had taken with me from the orphanage in all the necessary cabinets, I looked around quite satisfied with myself, I missed the feeling of independence.

Now all I have to do is survive the entrance ceremony and it's basically homerun from there!

I didn't want to admit it, but I felt a little excited. Which is weird in itself because in the Before I wasn't nearly as interested. It's not that I had anything dramatic happen to me; like backstabbing friends, cheating boyfriends or my very own mean girls, but there were the few annoyances like when someone asked to borrow your stuff, for example a pen. That's when you learned to always lie when asked, 'cause bro let's be honest, you know you ain't seeing that pen again.

And I don't know about you but I hated the type of teacher who turned his class into his freaking biography book, he just cannot finish a class without sharing his own life problems. Seriously dude, I'm a student, not a social worker.

That's why I guess I'm so curious, because now I'm not going to a different school but I'm going to a different school in another dimension.

* * *

The next day I was walking to the Academy after making myself a good ol' American-style breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon and orange juice. It didn't turn as tasty as I had hoped but it was good all the same considering I had to replace some of the ingredients.

I put on my black short-sleeved shirt under a blue sleeveless vest with a hoodie but decided on shorts for it was pretty warm outside.

At the entrance ceremony there were large crowds of people. Families wishing their children well and scolding them if they behaved badly. Parents were talking to either each other or the to the teachers.

I looked blankly at the scene, not reacting at all and instead walking to where I'm supposed to stand.

The Academy looks quite large and is comprised of several buildings. The building to which the shinobi part will be going can be identified by the tree in front of it which has a swing on it and more so, by the giant sign with the kanji for Fire on it. The civilian part is on the other side, in the left wing.

Along with being a school, it is also the area where the Hokage's office is located, which is where missions are dispatched

Okay just don't attract attention and you should be fine, I coached myself.

Kira stopped walking when she felt someone tug at her shirt, Looking over her shoulder, she saw it was a small, quivering Naruto.

He looked unsure and nervousness was coming off him in large waves. Kira cast a curious glance down at him when he looked up at her.

Naruto had come today feeling more excited than he has in a long time. He looked forward to going to a new place with new kids and full of hope of befriending them. That hope was crushed when he arrived to harsh glares being thrown his way by the adults who were pushing their children away from him. Seeing that he didn't have a chance while the parents were lingering around, he looked for someone to ask for directions, only to be ignored. Should have listened to Naname-san, he thought sheepishly. He had no idea where he was supposed to go.

He was getting scared. What if he misses the ceremony? He'll never become Hokage if he's not even a student!

That's when he noticed her. Kira. The nice girl who's never mean to him.

"I-I don't know where to go. I think I'm lost," he said, a small blush covering his cheeks.

Kira raised an eyebrow at this but didn't question it. She took an educated guess and came to the conclusion that he couldn't find an adult that gave him the time of day. And that he didn't listen to Naname-san when she told everyone where to be today.

"It's right there," she pointed towards where other children are gathering.

His eyes widened in realization and sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

Kira started to walk again, intending to reach her destination, only to feel another tug at her shirt. Looking back she saw that Naruto had clenched his fist into her shirt.

He didn't want to see the looks on the adults faces anymore and Kira felt like a safe-haven to him.

Kira sighed, well I guess this is as good as it's going to get.

She continued to walk with Naruto still holding onto her like a lost puppy looking for guidance. At least he stopped shaking like a drowned puppy.

She felt eyes on her the whole way which didn't surprise her but it still contradicted to what she said to herself earlier.

When she finally arrived, all the other kids looked at her and Naruto weirdly, slightly backing up.

Kira looked down at Naruto, in a calming voice she said, "Naruto, you can let go now."

His eyes widened and he started to shake his head furiously, still clutching her shirt. Kira just sighed and shook her head.

Standing in line with the others, waiting for the Hokage to arrive and give the traditional yearly speech, Kira felt eyes on her, but not the confused or curious eyes of the civilians. No, these eyes were analyzing her. Shinobi's eyes.

Discreetly looking around, she discovered the owner of the eyes to be Uchiha Fugaku. He was looking at her with so much intensity that Kira thought he was searching for something in her. Something lost. He wasn't the only one though, she felt another pair of eyes on her but couldn't find them.

When the Hokage cleared his throat, Kira was forced to look at him to pay attention. It would be considered rude and disrespectful if she didn't.

He gave a very inspiring speech about hard work, being healthy in mind and body and making friends but Kira mostly looked around to spot familiar faces, such as the Rookie nine. She could spot Hinata as well as Shikamaru and Choji but that's it. She guessed they were just behind the rows of students. She did some here rather early.

"…and now Iruka will list off all the student who are to be in the shinobi classes."

Iruka, who seemed to be in the middle of day dreaming, snapped out of it and with a now red face he scratched the back of his neck.

"R-right, uhm, with me are…" he started listing off.

After being informed of our teacher and classroom, the teachers gave some of the kids a little time to say goodbye to their parents, while others went straight ahead inside to get their entrance papers.

I decided on going inside as well, after un-clutching Naruto's hand off my shirt and flicking him on the forehead, "Don't worry. You'll be fine." And he will be, I would know after all.

That seemed to spark something in him and he gave me a determined nod with a bright smile and ran inside the building.

I sighed looking at the Academy. Somehow I still have this gut-feeling that whatever peace I have right now is going to come to an end.

I hope I'm wrong.

* * *

The following day, classes had finally begun.

Sliding the classroom door open and stepping inside, I looked around. The classroom was already almost half-full. Kids here must be really excited, in the Before I had to be dragged to school, kicking and screaming. The classroom had three rows with single desks, like a classical classroom in America.

I went to sit at the back, next to the window, making sure that only the wall was to my back, call me paranoid but anything could happen, and besides I could see everybody from where I sat.

I put my things on my desk and took out my notebook and pencils to ready them.

I noticed out of the corner of my eye a head of pink hair but I ignored it in favor of looking towards the door when the teacher walked in.

"Alright class, my name is Hikari Eiko but from this point on you will call me Hikari-sensei and welcome to the Konoha Academy!" The class cheered "Hello and good morning Hikari-sensei!" they chorused as if they have practiced saying that together.

"I will be your teacher until further notice, so let's start off with you all being in my good graces, okay?" She said with a firm smile.

* * *

3 months have passed and I have been settling into a steady routine. Wake up, shower, get dressed, make breakfast, got to school, train, go home, eat, sleep.

And of course, that's when my peaceful, calm life had turned upside down.

I was having a normal school day or as normal as it could get here, when my history lesson started out a little like this…

We were well into our history lesson, when I heard the most absurd thing.

"…Hagoromo was able to employ his Chibaku Tensei technique on a massive scale and use that chakra to create the moon, a clear testament to his incredible power."

The class looked amazed at what they heard, but I couldn't wrap my head around it.

The moon was created by a person? That's-

"Absurd!" I realized too late that I had spoken out loud and the entire class, including the teacher was looking at me.

"Excuse me?!" Hikari-sensei sputtered.

Seeing as I already messed things up, I might as well elaborate "You're actually telling me that the moon was created by a man? Just by a clever use of chakra?! It's absurd!" I said with a straight face.

The teacher's face turned red, "Now listen here you malevolent little child! This is a known fact that has been passed down by our ancestors through generations! I will not have a child taint what our shinobi have worked hard for with these made-up stories you just spouted from your mouth!"

"Made-up stories?!" I gave her an incredulous look, "It's basic science! And I'm not trying to 'taint' our shinobi's history, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this utterly impossible fact! The moon was formed after the Solar System, out of debris thrown into orbit by a massive collision between a smaller proto-Earth and another planetoid This collision turned the newly formed Earth into a molten ball of rock again, and ejected material into orbit. Most of the material crashed back into the Earth, but some collected together from mutual gravity to form the Moon we have today."

The students started murmuring words around the class.

The teacher gave me a fierce glare and turned to the classroom "Enough!" she shouted "I will have order!"

"Kira," she started once she took a calming breath, "It does not matter whether or not it's true but the fact is that this knowledge has been passed down through generations upon generations. And it is my job as your teacher to pass it down to you. Whether you believe in it or not is entirely up to you." She turned around and proceeded to continue with the lesson as if nothing happened.

I wasn't satisfied though. How is this possible? But then again, I'm in an entirely different universe. People here are so content with what they already know that they completely ignore what is not known. It's as if people here are afraid of the unknown and choose to live in ignorance.

How utterly…boring. To not want to know beyond basic knowledge. To not explore what is unreachable, like the sun for example. Don't they know that there will come a day when it explodes just like any other star? That, if that happens, human kind as we know won't exist anymore?

Don't they know that there are other planets? Other universes, where life could be possible just like on Earth? Maybe even other entities, like UFO's?

Glancing around the classroom, I just sighed and decided to drop it.

* * *

Needless to say, my days at school were disappointing. I didn't learn anything new. The curriculum is of course a lot tougher here, than in the Before but still, it was as if I was back in sixth grade.

I was walking down the Konoha shopping district, turning a corner to a deserted street I jumped when I heard someone clear their throat next to me. Turning my head, I came face to stomach with an ANBU. I looked up and saw a dog mask with silver whips of hair sticking out.

Kakashi.

"Leaf citizen Kira," he said, his voice a little unrecognizable by the porcelain mask he was currently earing, "I have strict orders from Hokage-Sama to bring you to him."

Okay, why can't an almost 7-year-old girl walk home by herself from school without having a freaking ANBU on her back? There be missing-nin killing people out there but God forbid, if Kira has a normal day, here comes the ANBU-Squad!

I narrowed my eyes at him, keeping my face blank, "Why? I haven't even done anything."

The ANBU, who's clearly Kakashi, just stared back at me, "Please don't show any resistance. I have orders to bring you to the Hokage. That is all I know."

What a lie, I thought, the Kakashi I know from the series doesn't do anything without having a good reason for it. Well, sorry buddy but I ain't meeting no Hokage anytime soon or better yet, at all!

Seeing as I wasn't moving, he started towards me.

Closing my eyes, I thought of the most effective course of action.

 _…I got it!_ My eyes sharpened.

Alright, time to put all that training to use.

* * *

 **3rd Person P.O.V**

Kira quickly Kawarimi'd to the nearest rooftop.

Taking a deep calming breath, she ran across the roof, aiming for a brick wall at the other end. Quickly calculating the distance to the roof on the other side, and her own speed and strength, Kira launched herself from the current rooftop, onto the other, flipping in mid-air and landed on the wall with her hands and legs gripping the edge and pulling herself up.

Sensing Kakashi right behind her, she started sprinting to the other side. There was a ladder attached to the side of the building. She gripped only the side of the ladder with her hands and legs and loosened her hold resulting in her sliding down it, rapidly approaching the ground. Once she was close enough, she tightened her grip, making her decent slow down.

From there she noticed she was in a narrow street. She ran in a random direction but noticed a fence at the end. Coming up with an idea, she started bouncing off the walls, from left to right until she jumped over the fence.

Heavily panting she smirked smugly to herself, but that lasted only a minute when she sensed his incoming chakra.

Kakashi had seen her do what probably many shinobi could do and more…but.

 _She isn't using her chakra!_ Kakashi's eye widened behind his mask. He hadn't known which rooftop she landed on at first because she wasn't using her chakra jumping and leaping across the roof onto another.

Shinobi used minimal chakra to leap from rooftop to rooftop, from tree branch to tree branch. Even walking required chakra for Kami's sake! But she isn't! She didn't use her chakra at all, just her raw strength and speed. He had underestimated her, but he isn't an ANBU for nothing. And with that in mind he came up with a plan.

Meanwhile Kira started running through the busy afternoon crowd. Inwardly growling when she sensed Kakashi's chakra signal catching up to her.

Her legs where burning, sweat dripping down her face as small pants came out of her mouth.

She noticed a flight of stairs in the distance. Making a split-second decision, she ran up the seemingly never-ending steps, thinking they led up to the Hokage Monument.

She was so out of it that she didn't realize that the stairs she ran up led to the Hokage's office. When she ran to the office's floor she suddenly couldn't sense Kakashi anymore and grew even more alarmed.

Turning around and frantically looking everywhere, she started backing up. Feeling a bump behind her, she looked over her shoulder to find that the door she backed up against had opened and inside was an amused-looking, pipe-smoking Sandaime Hokage.

Kira's eyes widened at the sight of the ANBU-masked Kakashi right beside him.

 _B-but I had lost him! How?!_ She let out a small gasp, thinking back to what had happened.

He had planned for this to happen!

He purposely flickered his chakra at the right times to make it seem like it was my idea to run in this direction for safety, when in all actuality he was manipulating me closer and closer to the Hokage's office.

 _I've been playing into his hands… the whole time!_

Kira looked at him in unconscious awe.

 _This guy… is incredible!_

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, which seemed to snap her to attention.

The Hokage chuckled, "Ah, Kira. I've been expecting you."

* * *

 **A/N and that is a wrap!**

 **Don't worry, Kira will be forced to become a ninja.**

 **I'm sorry it took me long time to update but I got a fever and I couldn't get out of bed but I'm back in business now!**

 **Also I want to thank all the lovely reviews, they make me absolutely happy. Straight up every time I see a new review I'm like "Oooh this is gonna be the one, I'm finally gonna get a flame" BUT you guys always surprise with your kind words so thank you from the bottom of my heart!**

 **Questions**

 **1 What do think the Hokage wanted? Will he reveal her origin? About Obito?**

 **2 Who would win in a rap battle Jay-Z or Killer B?**

 **My answers**

 **1 Well, we'll just have to wait and see…**

 **2 Pfft…the answer is so obvious…Me!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** **Still don't own Naruto in any way except for my Oc's.**

* * *

 _"When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew."_ – Sarutobi Hiruzen

* * *

I don't believe it.

Standing in front of me…is the God of shinobi himself.

His skin is light, his hair under the Hokage hat and goatee are grey from old age, his face is gaunt, and he has the wrinkles and liver spots of old age. He has lines running vertically under the corners of each eye, which are stretched down on his face until they reached his cheeks.

He almost looks like a feeble old man. I'd be fool to think that though. The way he sits, the way his eyes are looking intensely into mine, the way his posture is ready for any kind of attack suggest otherwise. And that makes me tense, which he unfortunately notices.

"Kira," he starts his voice soothing as if I was a scared animal about to take off, "My deepest apologizes for the trouble I must have caused you, but there is an issue that I must discuss with you."

My insides stilled.

 _No, they couldn't know_ , I mentally shook my head _, there's no way they could know._

And so I stared at the Hokage in confusion, "An issue?" _Could this be about that 'showdown' I had with Hikari-sensei?_

The Hokage nodded towards the masked Kakashi, "Dog, I would like some privacy with the child. You are dismissed. Thank you for bringing her."

Kakashi's shoulders tensed for a split-moment before he nodded "Hai," and took his leave via sunshin.

The Hokage turned to me, "Kira, why don't you take a seat and I will explain further."

Hesitantly, I took a step forward. And then, and then another, until I found myself before the Third Hokage.

I dared not to look at him in the eyes. Who knows what he'll notice when he looks at my eyes. Instead I looked past him, out the window and asked as diplomatically as I could, "Hokage-Sama, I am deeply honored that you have taken notice of me but may I ask to what do I owe the pleasure of being summoned here?" A lie but he doesn't need to know that.

The Third looked a little taken aback. _Okay maybe I should tone it down a bit,_ I thought, my nerves inwardly in a complete wreck.

The Third seemed to let it slide and cleared his throat, "Kira, the reason I had you brought here was because there is something I must discuss with you since you don't have a guardian or parents, but my resources have told me that you are a very bright, independent child, able to make your own decisions without another's influence."

My guards came up and eyes sharpened, I just wonder who these 'resources' are.

If he noticed he sure didn't show it though, instead continued, "Which is why I must bring up the current issue. I am aware that you have applied for the civilian section of the Academy, correct?"

It wasn't a question but I felt inclined to answer anyway, "Hai," I replied unsurely, wondering where he's going with this.

He nodded at me, "Now Kira what I'm about to reveal to you must be kept between us for now, understood?"

 _Okay, now I'm_ _ **really**_ _confused, what is the big deal?_ I wondered but nodded to keep up appearance.

He looked at me, no _observed_ me a while longer before stating in a calm tone, while his eyes are cold and calculating "Kira, when you were born certain… complications came up and gravely your mother had passed on due to excessive blood loss while you're father died on a mission. These complications were caused by the absence of your yang chakra. The medic had believed that you'll die in the following weeks, so the Hokage at the time, The Yondaime Hokage, had you put in an orphanage, when in fact you should've been given to your clan, the Uchiha clan."

I felt my jaw drop a few millimeters. I was shocked. Beyond shocked.

Does he actually think I'll believe that crap?

I shook my head a little, "Hokage-Sama, with all due respect. How am I even alive if I was diagnosed with an absence of a chakra substance. I shouldn't be breathing right now if that's the case. And the Uchiha clan? I don't think so. I'm not in the know of clan matters but I don't think they would let a child with a potential bloodline limit roam free in an easily attackable orphanage. Ya know, with all the clan secrets and all." I crossed my arms.

The Third looked almost amused at me, "While your reasoning's are expected, I can assure that you are, in fact, of Uchiha decent," suddenly his eyes turned sharp, "But that's not what entirely concerns me. Kira, you wondered why you are alive? I do not know the full theoretical explanation myself as the documents surrounding your case have unfortunately gone missing from the Kyuubi attack, but I've come to the conclusion that during the Kyuubi's attack, you were exposed to it's chakra because it was the closest to the orphanage, and because of that the yang part of your chakra started filling up like how you pour water to an empty glass. Your yin chakra was missing it's 'partner' and found itself in the chakra that the Kyuubi was emitting from itself."

A stunned silence followed. The Hokage letting her take in his words.

I started to shake minimally, my eyes wide.

 _No, it can't be possible, it can't!_

 _It's not logical!_

 _I don't want this!_

The Hokage's office was deadly silent, but I didn't make a move to break it. The Third decided to do that instead.

"You may see now why I don't want you to reveal what we are discussing. Now, with this discovery, I think it would be in your best interest to transfer over to the shinobi section of the Academy, your lessons sta-."

"NO!" I yelled, getting angry, "You can't do that! I never said I wanted to become a shinobi! I chose to be in the civilian section, what makes you think you have the right to take that from me?! This bogus about me having Kyuubi's chakra and being an Uchiha?! It's not possible, I won't accept that! I need proof!" I panted form yelling, my throat hurting a little bit.

"As I said young one, the documents in your case have unfortunately gone missing when the Kyuubi attacked, so they couldn't be handed to me after I was once again pointed as Hokage," he said, sounding frustrated himself.

The Third regarded her with serious eyes, he closed his fingers under his chin, "Hmm, I have feeling that telling you you're in denial, you wouldn't listen…" He closed his eyes, thinking for a moment before opening them and looking at her, "Alright, very well. If you wish to attend the civilian section of the Academy then I will not force you to transfer."

Before I could let out a breath of relief he said, "That is, of course, on the condition that you will take lessons in chakra control. I understand that you do not like it but please spare this old man's heart and at the very least, do that for me. Do we have a deal?"

It was not a question.

I was seething inside. I've been thoroughly played. I, a former young adult in a child's body, have been bested by this old man.

Not just any old man.

The God of Shinobi.

"There is also another concern I have to discuss with you."

"Well don't leave me hanging. What could possibly be worse than this," I said resting my head on my hand, completely disregarding any formalities, I already yelled at his face.

The Hokage looked apologetic, "The Uchiha clan head has requested adopting papers, to adopt you."

 _DAFUQ?!_

Well played Kami.

* * *

After promising the Hokage that I'll attend my classes, I was let home. Which was good 'cause I am so emotionally drained that I could sleep the whole week away.

I have Kyuubi's chakra in me!

The effin _Uchiha_ clan head wants to adopt me!

 _Fugaku_ , my mind supplied as I had a brain fart and completely forgot his name.

 _WHY?!,_ I was screaming in my head, it didn't make any sense to me. Well I'll be damned if the Hokage gives his consent. The Third said that she shouldn't worry about it. HOW can I not worry about it?! Logically, he can't adopt me if I don't want to right? But then again for all I know, he could! How would I know what effed up laws they have here, I mean they have child soldiers for Kami's sake!

I don't want to be a part of a walking dead clan anyway. Even if they adopted me, it would be around a year or two when they would all die!

I skidded to a halt in realization. The clan was cursed too, wasn't it. Am I cursed? Do I harbor hate inside me?

Even though many claim otherwise the Uchiha feel powerful emotions. These emotions begin as love or fondness for a friend or family member that develops into overpowering hatred when the loved one is lost, usually activating the Sharingan in the process.

Even though many from the Uchiha clan have displayed the Curse of Hatred at some point in their lives, some are able to repel their clan's usual narrow-mindedness. For instance; Kagami Uchiha, Shisui, and Itachi all live(d) by the Will of Fire instead. I guess you could count Obito Uchiha as well for he initially displayed characteristics of the Will of Fire, but was corrupted by Madara to live by the Curse of Hatred.

I was so tired that when I reached my apartment door I ripped the door open and practically ran to my bedroom and passed out on my bed, dark hair spread across like a dark halo, not caring that I still had my day clothes on, that I hadn't eaten anything or that I haven't brushed my teeth.

I just didn't care anymore.

* * *

The next day, I dreaded getting out of bed. I didn't feel like going to school anymore. What was the point? I would be breaking my promise to the Hokage but he's a busy man, how would he know if I skipped class? I already lost the game, why should I keep playing?

So I didn't.

I didn't go to school that day.

Or the next.

Not even the next.

I didn't move from my position for three days. Not that I cared.

But as it turned out, someone else did care.

* * *

Iruka is a stern man when the situation calls for it, most often when he shouts at his students in order to get them to show respect for him.

But he's also a very soft-hearted person. This is seen through his teaching methods, often giving a watchful eye over his students. He loved watching how the generations of Konoha ninja progress as he thoroughly he believed in the Will of Fire. Iruka became a teacher because he wanted to pass on the Will of Fire to the next generation, seeing as he was inspired by the Third Hokage's wisdom. He came to respect the man when after his parents were killed in the Kyuubi's attack on Konoha and the Third Hokage was there to help him through his tough times as a child and as a result believes strongly in the Will of Fire of the village.

And because of that when the Third sent a message to him with an assignment that he was going to have a new student who has trouble in chakra, and needed Iruka to help her. The scroll included information on the student, he was surprised to find that it was a student form the civilian section. He was even more surprised by the information at the end of letter, informing him of her condition with the Kyuubi's chakra and at the very end he was instructed to burn the scroll after reading it. Iruka felt uncomfortable, but he sucked it up. He was a grown shinobi after all and she's not holding the thing itself so he at the very least could comfort himself with that thought.

Her name though, Kira, gave him a sense of Déjà vu, but he ignored it as Iruka was determined to fulfill it to a T.

The problem though lay in the student who has, for the past three days, failed to show up. At first Iruka was annoyed for the obvious reason most students don't come to class is because they're skipping. By the third day he grew concerned and when lunch break came, went over to the civilian section of the academy and after not finding her, demanded from Hikari-san to know where she was.

He was bewildered to hear that she has, in fact, been missing from her normal studies as well.

"Haven't her parents notified you if she's sick?" Iruka pressed her for answers.

"Well you see, the thing is, she's an orphan so there's no one to notify me."

Iruka's brows ceased, "Has this happened before? What about her friends, what do they know?"

"Kira's never been _potentially_ problematic before nor has she ever caused trouble except for that one time she caused an uproar in class. She's pretty quiet as well, half the time I barley even notice she's there," Hikari sensei had a thoughtful expression on her face, "She speaks only when spoken to and participates only when it's necessary. She also tends to keep to herself and hasn't made any friends either."

Now Iruka's worried sky-rocketed. He wanted to go find her immediately but he still had classes to attend to. He resolved to go to her apartment to check up on her (it was on the information list) after he was finished. The minutes seemed to tick by slowly and Iruka found his eyes resting on the clock more than once. When his last class finished, Iruka was out of there like a flash. Running along the rooftops he looked for the right building and when he found it, quickly flashed before the supposed apartment. Checking the information on the scroll, he found that it was the right door and knocked, anxiously waiting or someone to answer.

No one answered so he knocked again persistently.

He'll break down this door if it came down to it.

Kira was staring blankly at the wall, her mind devoid of any thought when the knocking started. She heard but chose to ignore them and continue lying in bed. Maybe if she ignored them long enough, they'll go away.

When the knocks grew even more persistent, she was getting more and more frustrated and annoyed, forcing her to go see what they wanted and then go back to bed. She stumbled out of bed and slowly padded on her bare feet to the front door.

When she opened it, she was greeted to the sight of Iruka running shoulder first into her apartment, having quick reflexes, she quickly side-stepped him as not to be a stain on the floor as a result.

"Ah!" he cried when he stumbled and fell.

Kira turned around and watched unimpressed how he rubbed a sore spot on the back of his head.

"Ugh," Iruka opened his eyes to find a six-year-old with wrinkled clothes and dark circles under her eyes. She had odd black hair with red highlights and onyx eyes that were boring intensely into him as if demanding to know what he was doing with her eyes.

His face flushed a little, embarrassed, "A-Ah! You must be Kira. I am Umino Iruka, instructor from the shinobi section of the Academy."

 _Ah, so that's what he's here for. To make me go to the Academy_ , she frowned.

Kira raised an eyebrow, "Indeed I am. What business do you have with me? I would like to get this over with as soon as possible."

Iruka looked startled at her choice of words but composed himself and turned serious, "Yes, I do. You see Kira, I am sure you are aware that you have been given the order of attending lessons on chakra control and yet you have failed to attend any of those. I grew concerned and decided to check up on you."

"Well as you can see I am perfectly fine so you may take your leave," Kira said crossing her arms.

Iruka turned strict, "Now liste- Ah!" he cried his hands clutching his head when he tried to stand up too quickly.

Kira noticed this and sighed heavily, "Come with me, I have an ice-pack in the fridge."

"An ice what?" Iruka asked.

"Just follow me," she said irritably. After many bruising and self-harming accidents while training Kira made a make-shift ice pack from an empty package and has been using it ever since.

She had Iruka sit at the table and went over to the fridge to retrieve it. Going over to him she checked the back of his head and found a nasty bump.

"Just put this where it hurts and you should be fine by tomorrow," she handed it to him.

"Ah Arigato," he accepted the package and put it behind his head, ignoring the cold.

"Continue," she sat opposite of him.

Iruka looked at her properly and suddenly came to the realization of who she was.

 _It's her. I remember her, from so long ago._

 _Iruka's parents were in the process defending the village form the the Nine-Tails' Attack on Konoha, a young Iruka was present on the battlefield, and wanted to stay in order to help them. His father said that it was the parents' duty to keep their child safe from harm and proceeded to leave with his wife, who had been previously injured but kept on fighting. He greatly protested but was forcibly removed from the battlefield by some unknown chunin._

 _They were taking him to a safe place when others came and told them that the orphanage is in need of evacuation. Iruka had been horrified to learn that it hasn't been evacuated already and asked to help them for he wanted to do something for the village, like his parents. They approved and as he ran alongside them, tears began pouring down his face with worry._

 _When they reached they orphanage, they came to the horrible sight of almost all the children dead, their chakra signatures slowly fading one by one._

 _They panicked, scattering and searching for a pulse in every one of them, to no avail._

 _Iruka was running around doing the same when he heard a low whimper coming from the far corner of the room._

 _Hurriedly he went over to the crib and found a little girl with her eyes opened staring at him with something undefinable in her eyes. He quickly reassured her, that everything was going to be okay, or was it himself?_

 _He picked her up and gently cradled her in his arms, a little awkwardly too since he didn't exactly know how to carry a baby, but he managed. He ran with her to the Hokage monument, where the safe-place in located along with the other panicking crowd, and sat down with her still in his arms amongst many others in there._

 _Looking down at her, he smiled warmly when he saw her fast asleep in his arms._

 _THIS is what his parents and all the others protect._

 _The Will of Fire._

And here we are now.

She looked…drained. As if her will to live is fading away, leaving an empty shell.

"Well you see Kira. You are supposed to be attending lessons on chakra control, as I was said that you have a dangerous problem with your chakra that you must learn to keep under the radar at all times," Iruka softly explained to her, not sure how he should go around it.

Kira gave him a blank expression, "Save it. I don't want to hear anymore. The reason I've been missing classes is because I haven't been feeling well lately and decided to give myself a little break." She was hoping beyond hope that he'll buy it and leave her the hell alone.

But Iruka wasn't fooled for even a second, "Three days is a bit of a stretch to give yourself a _little_ break, don't you think? Listen, you have to attend these lessons, if the Hokage feels that this is what's best for you then you should come. I have been informed of your situation and I agree with the Hokage that you should take these lessons, they are for your own benefit."

Kira glared a bit, absolutely annoyed, "What does it matter to you about what I do? It's not like you're my parent or anything. No one understands what I'm going through and no one ever will! My life has gone into a complete mess and I didn't even cause half of it! I have to carry this burden all by myself and I am sick and tired of everyone saying they understand when they don't!" Kira yelled standing up from her chair, he didn't know her at all.

Iruka looked at her and stood up himself. Kira looked at him, slightly miffed and wondered what he would do next. Perhaps tie her up and bodily drag her to the lessons like he did with Naruto in the series.

Instead he crouched down and hugged her. That was when she realized that she had been shaking, and not from the cold.

Hugger her! Of all things!

She didn't return the sentiment though and left her hands hanging limply by her side.

"I understand," when he heard Kira snort he continued, "I do. You feel like the whole world is against you. You feel cornered and you don't know where to go to or who to go. You're lost and confused. That's why you're in such a mess, you just want the ground to swallow you up and never come back. It's a dark, cold and lonely place Kira."

He pulled back to look at her in the eyes, "A place I'm familiar with for I have been there. And I've come to realize that when you are lost you need to find somebody to steer you in the right path, your own path that you need to follow, not somebody else's."

Kira looked at him in shock, her eyes wide and she could stop the slight twitch in her lips, "Unless you're lost in the forest and you see a path, then you should take it."

He chuckled, "You see? That's how you should lead your life. Through smiling and laughing, not alone. Never alone."

Kira frowned, "I don't do happy and smiling."

Kira pushed away from him a bit, "And I especially don't do killing people like pigs in a slaughter house. Even if they were my enemy, they are human beings, they have families and loved ones of their own back home who would miss them. I don't want to be a shinobi. The power to judge a person's fate…It's too much, the death, the responsibility…This is not a game!"

Iruka shot her an incredulous look, "Being a ninja isn't all about killing people Kira. It' true that many people die in missions and wars. They die easily and in surprisingly simple ways. But it's because of those bonds that people feel the overwhelming desire to become strong, so they can protect them. People who are important to you. They trust and help each other. The bond between the people and the string that binds them becomes thicker and stronger as time goes by. Those bound to you by that string will do that. People's lives don't end when they die, they end when they lose whatever hope they have."

And doesn't she know it?

 _But there is some truth to his words,_ Kira begrudgingly admitted.

"I…, I shut everybody out, I don't care for a lot of things and I absolutely loathe being told what to do," Kira started, making Iruka wonder where was she going with this.

She looked away from him, "But," she said in a small, thoughtful voice, "I guess I could try going to school, if it means you'll be there." No guarantee though.

When she felt a hand ruffling her hair she looked up, "I would like that," Iruka grinned.

* * *

The next day Iruka checked attendance, at the Academy's training grounds. This was the last lesson of the day and he was anticipating for Kira to finally show up.

"Ami!"

"Right here!"

"Shikamaru!"

"Here," he drawled.

"Kyouya!"

"Here!"

"Kira!"

*que wind blow*

When Iruka looked over the heads of the many confused students, he didn't see the telltale head of red and black hair anywhere.

His eye twitched, "K-Kira!"

"Sensei there's no one named that in our class!" Chouji yelled.

But he went ignored as Iruka looked around.

 _Where is she?_

After all she said she'd be here. Iruka didn't want to think that she lied yesterday.

He heard footsteps behind him, "Here."

Iruka whirled around to find Kira with her hands in her pockets looking at him expectantly, "Gomen, Hikari-sensei held me up." Boy had she been mad.

Iruka addressed his class that was in the middle of watching Kira in wonderment, "Class! I would like to introduce you to Kira. She was specially requested by the Third to join us from the civilian section of the academy so she'll only be joining us on lessons that are Chakra-based. Please treat her well," he added for he knew she wouldn't introduce herself as properly as that.

Kira nodded in their direction and moved to stand in front of Iruka with the rest of the class. They moved aside to give her room to stand in, all the while still staring at her.

Before anyone could question why someone from the civilian section needed lessons on chakra, Iruka quickly started the class.

All the while Kira felt a pair of eyes burning on her back, but since there were a lot of eyes watching her, she dismissed them.

"Chakra is created when the two forms of physical and spiritual energies are molded together. Physical energy can be increased through training. Spiritual energy comes from the mind's consciousness and can be increased through meditation. If these two energies are stronger then in turn the jutsu is stronger. To perform a jutsu, a ninja will have to bring out and release these two energies. Practicing a technique repeatedly will build up experience, increasing your spiritual energy, and thus allowing more chakra to be created. As a result, a ninja is able to do that same technique, but with more power. The same thing applies for physical energy, the exception being that the ninja needs to increase their stamina instead.

Because chakra takes time and a great deal of training to gradually build up, the key to its use is being able to sufficiently control it. This is called chakra control. In order to have good chakra control, a ninja should only mold as much chakra as they need to perform a given ability. If they mold more chakra than is needed, the excess chakra is wasted and they will tire out faster. If they don't mold enough chakra, a technique will not be performed effectively, if at all." Iruka looked over the students to find that only some of them listening. Namely Kira, Sasuke and a few other boys while the others, such as Choji and Shikamaru seem to be daydreaming or asleep.

Iruka's eye twitched, taking a deep breath he yelled, "YOU BRATS! If you want to become good ninja then start taking this seriously!"

That shook them all awake and they all nervously stood straight.

Iruka let out a small sigh, "For the betterment of your physical chakra, we are going to do warm ups and laps around the academy, while for the betterment of your spiritual chakra, we are going to do some chakra exercises. Don't be mistaken though, they are not jutsu, they're general skills that every shinobi posse's."

Iruka started us on around the courtyard. I was doing fine until my thirteenth lap, then I started panting and I was afraid that I will start coughing again, but I held it in and finished my ten laps, even though I was really tempted to throw in the towel and give up. It was hard to find motivation for something you're not motivated about in the first place. I mean, we were running in circles, that's so boring. At least when I train alone I try to make it interesting.

I wasn't really surprised when speed and stamina wise, I was only slightly above average. After all there clan kids here with their special clan training and others have been training like this from the very start of the school year.

And after running, we were instructed to do warm-ups, there was stretching, and sit ups and pushups and an obstacle courses. First you had to balance yourself on a tight rope then you had to jump over three medium high walls, then you had to swing yourself over a pool of water and catch on a cargo net and finally you had to jump on a twelve feet high wall and pull yourself over.

Iruka was a little worried that it might be too hard on Kira, so he pulled her to the side and said that if she wants to, she can quit half-way.

But that didn't happen.

Iruka was stunned when he saw how quickly Kira finished, without seemingly no effort at all. As if she did this every day.

The little critter breezed through some of the others, leaving them in the dust and slightly grunting at some of the obstacles.

When she finished she was panting heavily, her muscles shaking but had a proud gleam, with a faraway look in her eyes.

Iruka had an idea to use this to his advantage and so he called to the others who he knew could do the obstacle but were too lazy, "Well isn't that a sight, a little _civilian_ girl was able to completely out-do the _shinobi_ -in-training. Pull yourselves together! At this rate she'll be at the top of the class in no time."

They all scowled but had determination in their eyes. Especially Sasuke, who had stopped half-way to watch Kira. He snapped out of it and swung to the cargo net, and easily pulling himself over the wall. He walked over to her, "Hey!" she turned around at the voice, she saw Sasuke point his index finger at her, "From now on, we're rivals!" he smirked at her.

Kira blinked at him confused and walked away from the strange boy.

Next they had the spiritual part of the chakra lesson.

They all had to sit on mats and meditate in silence, to find a peaceful state of mind before tackling some chakra exercises.

The Leaf Concentration

Iruka broke the silence, "Alright class," he threw a leaf at each of our foreheads like shuriken, "Now concentrate all your chakra to that one point. This will increase your control over your chakra.

Though Kira felt that the real purpose of the exercise was actually to better their concentration and to keep their minds from becoming distracted, she did just that. She imagined it sticking like glue on her forehead and stood still in worry that it will fall off otherwise. It made a pretty comical sight with her eyes crossed and eyebrows ceased.

"Maa, Kira-chan, you're chakra control is pretty good, maybe even perfect," Kira was startled and as a result she jumped up from her sitting position a little, looking up she saw Iruka towering over her.

"But you should know that the whole point of this exercise is to also keep yourself aware of what's happening around you. If you concentrate too much on one thing an enemy might sneak up on you and you might end up losing your life. You must be constantly alert," he lectured, though unnecessarily for Kira won't be encountering any enemies if she can help it. But she chose to not correct him and huffed, putting the leaf back on her forehead.

Hearing a bit of snickering Kira looked over and saw Sasuke practically glowing with pride, four leaves firmly stuck on his forehead and smugly looking over at her.

Raising an eyebrow she chose not to comment and closed her eyes in concentration, leaving the boy baffled.

Kira briefly wondered if she could tap into the Kyuubi's chakra but quickly dismissed it as there are too many witnesses and she didn't know what would happen. She'd rather do it in the privacy in her own room.

* * *

At the end of the lesson, when everyone where leaving with their parents or siblings showing up to collect them, Iruka approached Kira with a tired smile.

"Ne Kira, you did really well today, if you keep it up you'll be at the top of the class, I'm sure of it," he gave her a thumbs up.

"Yeah," Kira responded slowly, "Iruka-sensei, if I did really well and completed all the chakra exercises, does that mean I can go back to just only attending the civilian section of the Academy?"

Iruka looked at her for a long moment and sighed, shaking his head fondly, "How about we talk about this over a nice hot bowl of ramen at Ichiraku's?"

Kira didn't see any harm in it so she nodded, besides, she decided that she really liked him.

Iruka grinned, "Great, just let me go grab some things from my classroom and I'll be right with you."

Kira watched him run into the Academy. Feeling someone tap on her shoulder, she glanced over her shoulder at the strange boy form class.

"I will make you acknowledge me!" he yelled determined and with the grace of a child ran away from her into the arms of his older brother, who saw the whole thing.

Their eyes locked, both assessing each other, not backing down until Kira felt Iruka's hand on her shoulder, she looked up, "Is everything alright Kira?"

Kira looked at where Itachi and Sasuke were and found the spot empty.

So she just shook her head and said, "It's nothing."

As they were walking to the restaurant Iruka asked, "So how did you like the lesson?"

But Kira's mind was somewhere else, "Have you ever noticed…"

"Mh?," Iruka looked down at her as they kept walking.

"…how _easy_ it is for some people," she asked watching the passing crowd of villagers with mild interest.

"…they have all the latest stuff…" They saw a child receive a rather expensive looking doll before she promptly threw it on the ground and stomped on it.

"…they know all the right people…" They saw a few clan members interact with each other.

"…they get in to unreachable places…" They passed a club where three civilian girls where denied entrance while a much richer looking girl could go in.

Then Kira stopped, making Iruka stop as well and she looked up at him again, "…and you're just left here on the outside."

She continued walking, prompting Iruka to follow.

"They'd be perfectly happy if you never even existed," before Iruka could open his mouth to protest she continued.

"…and they always seem to get _exactly_ what they **want** ," she looked forward, her eyes glazed over.

Iruka decided not to comment, feeling this has a deeper meaning to her and remained silent until they reached Ichiraku's.

They took a seat at the, for now, empty restaurant.

Kira ordered Miso ramen because it was the only kind of ramen she was familiar with in her old life.

"The Uchiha clan head wants to adopt me," she blurted out of nowhere.

Iruka chocked on his ramen, "What?! Why?!"

Kira shrugged, "Apparently I'm originally from the Uchiha clan. They didn't even know of my existence until recently and have now demanded for me to be released into their custody."

They were silent for a while, until Kira broke it by inquiring Iruka of a question she's been having for a long time but didn't know where to seek the answer from.

"Iruka, is it possible to deny them if I don't want to be adopted?"

Iruka thought for a while. He wasn't an expert in this field of laws, "Sorry, but the only way for a citizen to be denied of this request is to become a shinobi."

Kira tensed, narrowing her eyes, but Iruka hurriedly explained, "You see, if you are a shinobi, then you are basically under the protection of the Third Hokage as you are one of his subordinates and aren't bound by normal laws. Additionally you are recognized as an adult and can make your own decisions."

Kira relaxed and nodded her head at him in thanks, "I see."

 _What a drag_ , Kira thought, staring off into the distance, _now there's an even bigger dilemma. Aren't the Uchiha police force responsible for maintaining city peace_ _ **and**_ _law enforcement? They probably know all the loopholes as well to this adoption._

 _Damn it, this is giving me such a headache!_

* * *

Later as Kira was lying in bed she thought about her predicament.

 _If I become a genin as soon as possible, the Uchiha are forced to back off, but if do become a ninja it would mean that I'll be forced to go on missions._

 _On one hand I could just stay a genin forever, but that would mean some poor fellow will have to be my sensei forever as the sensei is supposed to teach the student until he or she becomes a chunin._

 _But if the clan adopts me, they'll probably push me into the Academy anyway and expect great things._

Kira put her blanket over head.

 _What'll I do?_

Kira didn't want to think about it anymore and resolved to distract herself by trying to tap into the Kyuubi's chakra. Taking a meditative pose, she consentrated.

But something went wrong and Kira let out a pained scream before a loud thump could be heard.

Outside of her apartment Naruto had been ready to knock but froze at the scream and now started pounding on the door. Not getting an answer he ran to the only person he could trust. The Old man.

Bursting into his office in tears, "Jiji," The Third looked over bewildered,"Nar-," "Something bad happened! My friend, the one I told you about, Kira, she...she screamed and when I went over to check on her she wouldn't answer the door!" Naruto was so scared he barley made any sense but the Hokage still understood, having dealt with these kind of panicked people before.

The Hokage jumped into action, "Dog," he flashed to the Hokage's side, kneeling, "Hai, Hokage-Sama," was the quick answer, "Go." That's all Kakashi needed to hear before teleporting to Kira's apartment. Searching the living room he found nothing so he moved to the next room. He felt his heart stop at what he saw.

Kira, lying on her stomach with her face down, hair spawled around her, her unmoving form on her bedroom floor.

* * *

 **A/N As always please leave a review, I love reading them! :D**

 **I'm really sorry for not updating for so long but my family took a trip to Sweden for Eurovision and since I'm the only one even remotely capable of speaking English I had to plan the WHOLE trip.**

 **But it was worth it because it was amazing and though Ukraine's song wasn't my** _ **absolute**_ **favorite, it was still high up on my list. I don't think I even have a favorite but I realllly liked Australia, Spain, Malta, Austria and Sweden. Not in that order though. :)**

 **Sweden was a really beautiful country and the people were awesomely nice as well. My family went to the Royal Armor museum and I freaked out when I lost my bag. It had all my money and things in it, at first I thought somebody stole it, but thankfully some staff members picked it up and I got it back, God I'm such a dunce.**

 **I know I told some of you that this will be the chapter that will talk about her camera. I'M SORRY, but you'll have to wait for the next chapter that will hopefully be posted next week at the latest.**

 **P.S This chapter was partially beta'd by Kejmur. (Thank you again, :D you're awesome)**

 **P.P.S If anyone else has ANY ideas how to make this story better or just wants to share ideas, then you are welcome to do so.**

 **Questions**

 **1 Should Kira be the reincarnation of Indra, or am I going a bit too overboard? Haha :'D**

 **I would like it if you'd take a poll on it on my profile :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** **…still not owning them Naruto homies.**

* * *

" _A champion is someone who gets up, even when he can't"_ \- Unknown

* * *

My head was pounding. Slowly opening my eyes, I had to blink several times, the brightness of the room was overbearing.

 _What happened?_ I remember being in my room and then…and then…I can't remember.

I tried sitting up, but my head hurt so bad that I fell back down on the pillow. Gritting my teeth I looked up at the ceiling, then to the left of me and found an open window with curtains flailing around.

The room has a great view outside, probably the fourth or maybe even fifth floor.

 _Am I in a hospital?_ I thought, my eyes still not able to be fully open, I found myself squinting to see.

 _What?_

Someone walked in just then, humming a cheerful tune. Probably a nurse going by the uniform, she had a clipboard in her hands and was writing on it. She stayed quiet, prompting me to believe that she's unaware that I'm awake.

"Now let's see- Aah!" she screamed when she finally looked over at me, "Y-you're not supposed to awake yet!" she exclaimed.

I didn't know how to answer that, instead I turned my head to the right again and looked out the window.

The nurse kept talking to her but she tuned her out.

 _I could probably make a break for it. I mean the security must be pretty loose; Gaara was able to sneak in here to almost kill Rock Lee, if memory serves me correct. And that thought does not make me feel better about being here. I hope this doesn't become a common occurrence._

"…We're sorry for the inconvenience Uchiha-chan," the nurse said, her voice laced with an apologetic tone.

Kira just hummed in response and then abruptly stopped.

Wait.

She whipped her head around to look at the nurse, not caring that it practically caused her a migraine.

"What did you say?"

"A-ah I-I mean Uchiha-San," she hastily corrected herself, blushing a little and bowing low at the waist.

Uchiha?!

How long have I been out?

Have I already been adopted?

My heart started beating rapidly, making the monitor next to me go wild.

The nurse panicked, "Uchiha-san?!"

I could breathe anymore. My head started hurting again. I was ready to pass out, when I heard a familiar voice near the window, "Kira, it's okay, everything's going to be alright."

I snapped out of it and looked to my right. Iruka was standing there, his arm on my shoulder. His face didn't reveal any emotion other than indifference. After making sure my vitals were back to normal, he nodded to the nurse, "Everything's under control. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again. Could you please inform the Hokage of her awakening?" he turned towards Kira, his eyes clearly saying he wanted to talk with me privately.

"You're not supposed to be here! This is the private section of the hospital, strictly only those who have permission to be here," the nurse chided him, looking ready to kick him out.

In retaliation, Iruka took a piece of paper out of his chunin vest and showed it to her, "I have permission from the Hokage to be here."

The nurse took the paper and checked the content before sighing in exasperation and giving it back to him, "Alright," she nodded, checking Kira's vitals herself once again before running out of the room to notify the Hokage.

Kira sat up on her bed but her head started pounding again. She winced putting a hand to her forehead, feeling bandages covering it, "That was pretty reckless you know," came the sound of Iruka's disapproving voice.

Kira put her hand back down and looked over at him in confusion but before she could speak he exploded, "Do you know how worried sick I was? Today at chakra practice I had to be informed by the _Hokage_ himself that you managed to knock yourself out and had to be hospitalized! What were you thinking?!" she would've thought he was angry if it wasn't for the clear concern and worry in his eyes.

She was dumbfounded, why was he concerned?

Iruka noticed this, flabbergasted he wanted to confirm this, "You don't remember?"

When she shook her head Iruka's eyebrows rose and he went into deep thought. Meanwhile Kira was in her own little world.

 _Uchiha. Well technically I am an Uchiha, just not officially._ Even so Kira felt like she just had a heart attack.

"Alright," Iruka's voice broke through her thoughts, "Why don't you lie down for now and sleep for a while. In the mean time I'll go and consult with the Hokage. He'll want to know about this. Don't you even think about moving anywhere" he warned her.

Kira didn't feel like moving anything anyway so she just gently and carefully nodded her head at him. Iruka stared into her eyes for a minute and after shaking his head in concealed fondness, he sunshined in a flutter of leaves.

Kira gazed at them as they each fell down, one by one, in a little whirlwind.

 _Uchiha Kira, huh..._

* * *

"Completely lost her memory of what happened you say?" the Hokage asked, his ever-present pipe in his hands.

"Hai," Iruka nodded, "When I asked her, she looked confused and claimed to not remember what happened last night."

 _If it comes down to it, I'll have to resort to asking a favor form_ _ **him**_ _._

The Hokage hummed, "Well chakra can't cause, even if temporary, amnesia, so it's likely what happened to her caused some damage to her brain-cells. A concussion most likely."

Letting out a puff of smoke, the Hokage looked at Iruka, "Her mind is most delicate right now and I'm afraid she'll need constant watch."

Iruka looked uncomfortable at that statement, "D-do you mean put ANBU to watch her?" Iruka didn't like that one bit, but the choice was ultimately the Hokage's.

To his relief the Third shook his head, "No, she'll need watch that isn't from the shadows," he threw a pointed look at him, "Iruka, if it isn't too much trouble I would like it if you watched over her."

Iruka's eyes almost popped out of his head, "Hokage-Sama, I would love to but I cannot look after her when I'm teaching at the Academy. The teacher at the Academy are scarce as it is."

"I understand. Which is why I'll have ANBU Dog watch her when you cannot. The ANBU will keep her chakra in check and interfere should she try to tap into it again. Though I am fairly sure she has learned her lesson."

Iruka still wasn't sure about this, but being the big-hearted person he is, he nodded his head at the Hokage, "Hai Hokage-Sama, rest assured Kira will be in good hands."

Needless to say, Iruka went nuts. The minute she got released from the hospital he has been in overbearing-mother mode.

Anything Kira wanted or Iruka _thought_ she wanted, she got.

Running around the apartment like crazy, he got her blankets, medicine, food, everything was brought to her, which Kira felt uncomfortable about. She was used to being independent. To not rely on anyone. But it seems Iruka won't give her the chance to even lift a finger.

Even his chakra was buzzing with excitement.

Kira felt bad for having to constantly keep Iruka worried about her but she didn't voice her thoughts. It wasn't like she was forcing him to do this after all.

His apartment wasn't meant for two people but he digressed and allowed her to take the bed. She protested at first. The couch was good enough, but Iruka would hear none of it.

She started to feel a bit hungry, so she decided to make herself something to eat. The moment her feet touched the floor though, Iruka was suddenly at her side, ushering her back onto the bed, "No Kira, now I'm taking care of you. That means that when you want something you call for me okay?" he grinned at her.

Kira didn't know what to say, so she didn't.

Iruka's eyes softened. He smiled gently at her, brushing the hair out of her eyes he looked into them, "You will never be a burden to me. I promise."

Kira wasn't sure how to respond, so she opted to stay quiet instead and lie down. She had never been told that before.

"So!" he said in a louder voice, "How about some dinner?"

Kira nodded her head softly, she didn't want to make her headache any worse than it already is.

Checking her over once, Iruka left to go make her a decent dinner.

Ramen.

* * *

"Aah, isn't it good?" Iruka asked smiling towards her and Kira couldn't help but nod in agreement. It was a bit bland but he's been Kira didn't feel like telling him that what with how proud he looked at himself.

"Iruka, when will I be allowed to go to school again?" she asked.

Iruka stopped in the middle of devouring his noodles and answered her, "For now you need to heal so you won't be leaving for a while. The way you used your chakra like that put a huge strain to your body. Now I won't be around during the day" He looked down at her, "But you have to promise me not to do something that can harm your healing process. That means no reading, no writing, no watching TV," Which basically means.

 _Training is strictly forbidden._

Giving him an affirming nod, Kira wondered how long it'll take before she's forced to sneak out.

Out of the corner of her eye Kira spotted Iruka's trash bin. Now, normally she wouldn't give it a second glance but something in there caught Kira's eye. A radio.

"Iruka, can I…borrow your trash?"

…"Eh?"

* * *

After a few days later, when Iruka left with a promise to be back as soon as possible, Kira started working on her little project that she had neglected for quite some time.

Her camera.

The only problem lied in her blueprints that she had worked on when she was at school. When the lesson was too boring for her for she already knew the subject of which they were teaching at hand, she started making them. Now if only she could get to them, but the thing is, she left them at her house.

Thinking of it, if she could sneak out the window, she could make it to her home and back in time for Iruka to come home. After she figured out where her apartment was located from Iruka's. Of course, she could always ask the ANBU who were painfully obviously watching her. Kira noticed them the second she stepped out of the hospital. They were very good at concealing their chakra, but Kira has long accepted the fact that she could sense even the most concealed chakra. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she was unsure.

Now logically they were placed there to watch her. Which means her chances of escaping where zero to none, but it meant that they would also do anything to keep her there.

Having come to a decision, she went to the window and opened it wide, but before she could step out, an ANBU was in front of her, blocking her path in a flash.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked in a tone which suggested that she better get back to bed or else.

But Kira didn't relent, "I need something from my apartment. If you could bring it to me I'll go back. It's a little notebook in my nightstand next to my bed." She probably shouldn't give an ANBU free reign over her apartment, however she was getting desperate.

The ANBU stared at her for a long time, contemplating her request. When Kira just gave her blank look in return, he sighed and nodded. But before he left, he bit his thumb and summoned a dog.

Kira's eyes widened a little, this was the first time she saw some Fūinjutsu and summoning jutsu. As the smoke dispersed, a dog emerged. "Yo," for a tiny one, his voice is deep and gruff.

He was a small, pug-like dog with brown fur and a dark brown snout and ears. He had a blue vest with the heno-heno-moheji seal and a Konoha forehead protector worn on top of his head.

Kira tilted her head slightly in wonder. She hesitantly lifted a finger to touch him. Pakkun in retaliation however bit her finger.

"Ow," Kira said softly for it didn't actually hurt.

He released her finger with a huff, "Don't poke your finger where it doesn't belong, Gaki."

Nodding in understanding she looked to her right where she sensed the familiar chakra of the ANBU she knew to be Kakashi's coming. He returned rather quickly, but Kira wasn't complaining. Gently she took the notebook he held out to her and nodded at him in thanks.

She went to sit on the carpet and took the radio and other useful things like a clock, mirror, etc. she found in Iruka's trash and began her little project.

A pinhole camera.

A pinhole camera is basically a box with a tiny hole in one side and some film or photographic paper on the opposite size.

From cardboard, she cut the shape of a portable camera. She took the Dirkon camera as an example.

She used the mirrors for lighting and she tweaked the radio for zooming in and out, for instance much the same way you crank up the volume on your radio.

She cut a tiny whole with a needle in some foil and cut out a makeshift lens.

After having stuck the various parts of the camera together and letting it dry properly, she'll need to insert a film roll containing film into the right-hand small side of the box. Since she doesn't have a memory card, she'll have to use the film roll she had seen in the store.

It may not be the most practical of devices, but hey, it works!

All she's missing is some film roll. Now if only she could get her hands on a Kodachrome, a color roll. Without it, all the pictures are going to be black and white, in other words, boring. But for that to happen she'll have to wait for her next few month's pay. No doubt they're expensive.

Kira heard Iruka open the door, yelling "Tadaima!" and waited several seconds for a reply which never came.

Not hearing a response Iruka walked into the living room to find Kira tinkering with her strange things again, "Kira," he called to get her attention, which he received, "Didn't you hear me?"

Kira looked at him strangely, "Of course I did."

"Then why didn't you respond?" he asked curiously, actually he's been wondering that for quite some time. Kira never aswered him. Though he didn't notice that until now.

Kira tilted her head to the side, a look of confusion marring her face, "Respond to what?"

Iruka scratched the back of his head as he tried to find the right word to explain the concept of greeting one another, "Well when coming home one says 'Tadaima' to which the ones already in the house reply 'Okaeri'. And when you're leaving you say 'Ittekimasu', to which the response is 'Itterasshai'."

Kira still looked confused, "But why? What's the point?"

"It's just common courtesy. Besides, it shows that you care about the well-being of a person," he explained softly.

"Here," Iruka handed her some papers, "This is your homework form Hikari-san you missed. Mine is as well on chakra theory but since you missed yesterday's lecture I'll have to explain it to you personally. Why don't you finish Hikari-san's first while I cook us some dinner. If you feel like you can't do anymore than you don't have to alright?"

"Alright."

While Kira was doing her homework her mind wandered elsewhere, _I should start training again, else I slack off and my muscles will soften, completely destroying all the hard work I had done up until now. Thing is. How to get past Iruka? No way will he allow me to do training after being specifically told not to. And with the way he's so constantly doting on me…_

Suddenly an idea struck her.

That clearing she goes to. She hasn't been there for a while now. Not as frequently as she used to at least. After all of this chaos, she longed for the calming effect it has on her.

Life is much easier when you just chill out.

With that in mind, she approached Iruka.

* * *

Kira admits, it was pretty hard to convince someone with a lot of patience to submit to what you want, but it worked out in the end. He allowed her to go for a walk in the forest on the condition that she takes one of his kunai with him.

She felt a little uncomfortable with the thing at first. A sharp pointy thing in your back pocket pocking your ass isn't very comfortable but with the instructions from Iruka on how to use it, she managed well enough.

She had seen kunai on many shinobi before but this was the first she got to hold one, it was about the length of a person's hand. It is black with a small ring attached at the end of it, while the handle is wrapped in bandages.

Apparently shinobi tend to favor them so much due to their dependability, sturdy and skillfulness.

Finally getting outside, Kira took a deep breath of fresh air. It smelt even better than any perfume or lotion ever will.

She put on her usual clothes; black short-sleeved shirt under a blue sleeveless vest with a hoodie and black shorts coupled with standard blue shinobi sandals.

Walking to the clearing, it still looked the same and had the same calming vibe to it. Kira instantly felt relaxed and found herself basking in the smell on nature, the sound of the calming waves of the lake and the chirping of birds. It was nice to see such things when having a bad day, it almost gave the illusion of a peaceful, hate-free world.

After stretching and running a few laps, she felt much better with the condition of her muscles.

She didn't know why, but she felt a little more adventurous that day and wandered deeper into the forest. She felt like she was becoming one with nature. Unconsciously, her eyes closed. She felt as though she was walking on air.

Hearing a twig snap made her eyes open. She looked around her to find nothing but trees and plants. She swore she heard something but didn't see anything.

Again, she heard a strange sound, which sounded as though it belonged to an animal. Highly alert now, she proceeded foreword, in slow, cautious steps. But the more she moved, the louder the cries where getting. This time the cries came from her left, but there wasn't anything there.

Wait a minute.

Kira took the kunai knife she got from Iruka and parted a pair of bushes. From there she found that the cries had come from a… deer, with its antlers stuck in a net. It must've wandered astray from the Nara forest and walked into a trap a shinobi must have forgotten to disarm after training.

When the deer noticed me it began squirming, only to get itself stuck even more.

The deer had light brown-colored fur and dark brown eyes with two big black-colored antlers on his head like a normal male deer. Then why did she feel like her actions were being judged?

Taking a moment to sigh, she assessed the situation. She has a knife, she'll just use it to cut the ropes and then it'll be free. With that idea in mind she started towards the large deer, but the closer she got the more violently the deer reacted and stumbled down.

Taken aback Kira took a step back, for she thought the deer wouldn't let her help it. But that wasn't the case, as she looked down she found that one of its legs were injured. It couldn't support itself on it and fell down as it was trying to get away from her.

Taking a closer look, Kira found that it was caused by a stray kunai knife lying a few inches away from it.

Kira decided it would be best to put the knife away for the time being, she slowly, soft but hearable steps walked towards it, as not to startle it. The deer was still down, but struggled to stand, probably to get away from her. But Kira didn't relent. She took long but slow strides towards it and when it became defensive, took a step back and held her hands up in surrender. When it backed down, she took a cautious step forward and put her hand hovering above its nose. The deer sniffed her hand for quite some time before touching its nose to her hand. She petted him while at the same time stepping closer to its injury. When she reached it she looked at it and found that it wasn't deep but blood was flowing out of it. Kira didn't have bandages with her but she knew from her previous life that herbs and leaves work just as well.

She petted its nose again, "I'll be right back." And took off running to get some remedial herbs, water and found some big-ass leaves to wrap its leg like a real bandage.

When she came back, she at first applied some old water onto the wound to stop the bleeding, which made the baby deer extract its leg but Kira held it firmly in place with one of her hand and with the other she patted the deer, making soothing sounds.

After cleaning it, she slowly started putting herbs on it, to clean the blood off form its fur. Kira carefully lifted its leg a little, while applying the DIY bandages made out of leaves on it and wrapping several times.

Wiping some sweat from her forehead, she next started cleaning it up with the leftover water and a clean leaf she modeled into a make-shift napkin.

When Kira noticed the deer trying and failing to eat the grass, she guessed it was hungry. Since she didn't know what deer ate, she decided to just release it from the net and it would find its own food. Taking the knife from her pocket once again, the deer unfortunately noticed and started trashing around again but since I was close enough I quickly cut the net and jumped to the nearest tree by grabbing the branch and swinging myself over.

Seeing that my services weren't needed anymore, I turned around and with one last look at the now-free deer I kawarimi'd back to my clearing.

Looking at the sky, she saw that it was late and decided it was best to go back to Iruka's apartment.

Half-way there she stopped in the middle of the market.

 _Wasn't Kakashi supposed to watch me? The lazy-ass could've helped me!_

Grumbling to herself, she continued her trek back to the apartment.

* * *

"Now remember," Iruka started lecturing her when she was given the okay to go school. She didn't feel sensitive to loud noises and light anymore. There were the occasional headaches but Kira firmly said that she doesn't want to miss another week of school.

After a heated argument, it was decided that Kira can go to back to school on the condition that should she feel overwhelmed, she'll immediately go to the hospital or Iruka for help.

"If you feel drowsy or lightheaded or nauseous or weak-"

"I'll go to the hospital or you. Got it," Kira recited by heart irritably.

Iruka chuckled, "Sorry, I guess I'm over doing it huh?"

 _You think?_

Kira still felt annoyed when she got to school, turning to Iruka she awkwardly said, "I'll see you at practice, I guess."

Iruka nodded at her smiling and with that, they went their separate ways.

Stepping into the classroom, she almost missed being pampered by Iruka when she saw what utter chaos it was in.

Paper shuriken flying overhead, girls chatting exceptionally loud, boys playing ninja and jumping over desks. With a sigh at the scene, Kira took her place and sat down, crossing her arms and looking outside, vigorously waiting for the teaches arrival.

When the class heard the tell-tale sound of Hikari-sensei's footsteps, instant silence ensured.

Class door sliding open, Hikari-sensei looked around with suspicious eyes but didn't say anything, instead her eyes swept through the students and stopped on her. "Well, well, what do we have here, Kira, back already?"

"Yes ma'am," she responded shortly, trying so hard to not bring attention to herself, which was for naught because suddenly everyone's eyes were on her.

"Did you get the homework I sent you?" she questioned, though it felt more like being interrogated.

"Yes ma'am."

"Well! Then I'm sure you're ready for this surprise test I made for the entire class!" she smiled sickly sweet, while the entire class groaned.

 _Why do I get the feeling she's making it up?_

"QUIET!" she yelled at the class, getting annoyed by their wining, "We've been learning these for months. This _should_ be an easy one!"

Every student knew that tone, so they sat on their seats without a second thought.

But without evidence she couldn't call her out on it and with a sigh she accepted the test. Looking over it, she found it to be incredibly difficult compared to the last test she gave them. Actually, these questions and problems seemed like they belonged to a more advanced grade.

Looking around the classroom, practically everyone was already putting pencil to paper. Everybody seemed to easily answer the questions to this, even the ones that weren't _that_ good academically.

Looking at the test, It's not like she couldn't answer them, since the questions were still pretty easy to her. But just the thought of how different school curriculum here was compared to in the 'Before'. This was almost junior high material!

Looking at the test once more, Kira heaved a sigh and picked up her pencil.

There's no time like the present.

* * *

When it was time for Kira's chakra lessons, she was less than satisfied with her day.

This was how Iruka found her; stomping over to the rest of the class with an irritated grumble. So with a nervous laugh he walked beside her to the class' meeting place a.k.a the Academy training ground.

"So for today I was thinking we could do a little sparring." He tried to strike up a conversation as the group of kids was coming into view.

"What kind?" Kira asked curiously, she's only seen so much of sparring in the 'Before'.

"What do you mean?" Was there any other kind?

Kira absent-mindedly answered, "You know like Karate, Taekwondo, Jiujitsu…You know what? Never mind!" She quickly recovered and scrambled to sit on the ground next to the class, leaving a baffled Iruka watching her retreating form.

"O-Kay," he shook his head, he really should be getting used to Kira's strange quirks.

"Okay class. Today I have Mizuki and Suzume from Kunoichi classes here to assist me."

Mizuki has white shoulder-length hair with a tint of blue in it and green eyes. He wore the standard attire of the Konoha-nin. He gave a smirk and a tiny wave.

Suzume has long, curly, black hair and wears oval glasses along with red lipstick. Her outfit consists of a simple pink kimono and a pair of baggy red pants with sandals worn with looked stern, someone who demanded respect.

"Now class," he clapped his hands to gather their attention, "In sparring two opponents must face each other and make the Seal of Confrontation, which represents one half of a seal, a universal sign of engagement between shinobi and basically means "I've come to face you in battle". When the spar is over, both participants make the Seal of Reconciliation by locking their fingers and acknowledging that they are still comrades."

Looking at the awed students he smirked and told them to find a partner to spar with, but to only use hand-to-hand combat for the use of weapons is unnecessary here.

Kira looked around, choosing an easy-going partner, like Hinata perhaps? Then again, if she uses her Jūken…

No.

"Kira," she looked over to see Iruka beckoning her over. Interested she went over to hear what he wanted to say.

"How about you sit this one out? You're still recovering and I don't want you pushing yourself."

Kira just shrugged her shoulder, "Okay," it's not like it made a huge difference if she sparred or not, and went to sit at the benches.

Meanwhile Sasuke had seen the whole interaction and was silently seething. She gets special treatment, huh? He gritted his teeth.

It's all about her now, is it?

 _Flashback_

 _The Uchiha clan head's household was in the middle of a delightful dinner, prepared by the lovely matriarch of the clan, Mikoto, when the Clan head, Fugaku made a rather abrupt announcement._

" _Boys," he started, gathering Itachi's and Sasuke's attention, it wasn't often when their father would talk during dinner, "Now that Itachi has returned from his long-term mission, I have an announcement to make that will change the routine of this household."_

" _What is it father?" asked a curious Itachi, putting his chopsticks down._

 _Sasuke was watching him intently as well, hanging onto his every word._

 _Fugaku silently watched them for a moment and then sighed, "A few months ago I came across a little girl with the most peculiar hair. You might have already seen her Sasuke," he said looking over at his youngest son._

" _Me?" Sasuke questioned and followed it with, "Who is it?"_

" _Her name is Kira," he looked over at his family, "And I've decided to adopt her."_

 _A shocked silence followed. Mikoto continued washing dishes as she already knew of her husband's decision. She wasn't sure about it but she wasn't clan head, if her husband wanted to adopt this little girl then so be it. Besides, it would be fun to have another female in the house besides herself._

" _What?!" cried Sasuke, "Why?! We don't need another sibling. Right Nii-san?!" not hearing a backing response he looked up at him in confusion, "Nii-san?" he said quietly._

" _Tou-san," Itachi calmly spoke, "Isn't she one of us?"_

 _Fugaku's eyes widened but then realization flashed in them, "Ah, so you've already met her, I see," he chuckled a little, "Yes, technically, she's one of us. Tell me, how did you figure it out?"_

" _I sensed her chakra. Each person gives off a unique chakra signature. Chakra signatures are passed genetically, allowing a person's clan to be identified by their chakra. That's how I knew she was from our clan. I did find it strange how I've never seen her within the compound before. Why is that?" Itachi inquired from his father._

 _He himself was rather curious about the girl. Her eyes. He's only ever seen those kinds of eyes on himself. Never did he think he'd find them on someone else, much less someone so young. But that was a bit hypocritical of him for he was just as young when he saw the horrors of this world. Though that was a time of war. How did someone from this time get eyes like that._

 _Itachi looked over at his dear but foolish younger brother and could not help but think that someone so young should not have those eyes._

 _Fugaku smirked, "As expected from my son. That's my boy."_

 _Sasuke felt a pang in his chest._

" _But yes, she's the daughter of a couple I once knew. They had lost a son to the war, I knew him on a more personal level. He was…a strong shinobi, I wanted to respect his memory and decided to take his little sister under our wing. The paperwork is a long process but hopefully we'll have her living with us in no time."_

 _Sasuke looked desperately over to his older brother, to make him see the huge mistake their father was making but stopped when he saw the smile on his face._

 _His brother hasn't smiled like that in a rather_ _ **long**_ _time, "I think it's a wonderful idea. A sister."_

He could still remember how outraged his father was when he heard, she was hospitalized.

He's been trying **so** hard to get his father's and Itachi's acknowledgement. And then this, this **Nobody** came out of nowhere and suddenly she's all Tou-san and Nii-san talk about these days.

"Hey!" he called over to her.

When she looked at him, and blinked, he couldn't help the sneer that came on his face, "Come on!" he challenged, "Let's see what you've got."

Kira was just about half-way to the benches, in the middle of a sparring ring, when he heard the strange boy shout at her. The others were spread out along field with Iruka fluttering around, correcting their stances, he didn't see the predicament Kira just found herself in.

Without warning, Sasuke charged, not giving Kira time to cover her vital spots.

He punched, kicked, jabbed.

Kira could just feel the bruises starting to form. She didn't counterattack though, only stumbling backwards. She didn't even feel the pain as she recieved blow after blow.

What puzzled her though was that she noticed tears of frustration forming at the corners of his eyes. It was after a roundhouse kick did she find herself down, looking at the sky. A moment later Sasuke was on her once again. One fist bunched on the front of her shirt and the other pulled back, ready to punch her again.

Kira felt numb. Her eyes rested on his form. It was good for a kid his age. Sloppy for a shinobi though. In fact, as Kira continued to assess his position the more flaws she found. The angle of his elbows. The position of his legs.

It would be so **easy** to just…

Without thinking, Kira put one of her legs on his stomach and flipped him over her, so that now both of them were on the ground. They both turned to lie on their stomachs.

Staring at each other in the eyes, Kira let out a breath of cold, evening air.

Both scrambling to their feet quickly. Sasuke charged yet again with another series of punches that Kira dodged by moving to the side but still didn't counterattack. When he went for a kick to the head, Kira bent backwards and back-flipped away from him. Kira felt tiredness wash over her. Better finish this soon. When Sasuke once again went to a punch to the side of her face, Kira blocked it with her forearm. From the corner of her eye she saw him bringing up his other fist instead but crouched down and slid his feet from under him, making him lose balance and fall down. Sufficiently ending the match.

Both of them panting, Sasuke looked angrily up at her, wondering where it went south for him.

Kira on her part felt amazed. Never did she think that calculating the degree of an angle would be useful to her.

"How?!" at the yell that interrupted her thought she looked down at Sasuke to see him looking up at her sitting on the ground with blazing eyes, "How did you do it?! I'm stronger than you!" he felt cheated of his win.

Kira looked emotionlessly at him, wondering what his problem is, "Physical strength isn't power. Knowledge is power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement."

"But I learn every day! It was in the textbo-!"

"Learning is a matter of gathering knowledge; Wisdom is applying that knowledge," Kira interrupted him, trying to make him understand, "When facing an enemy, your ignorance is their power."

Things between them were quiet for a while, both of them staring the other down.

However, their conversation was cut short by a loud grunt echoing through the entire academy. Looking towards the forested area, the teachers and students could make out what could only be a large deer.

A pregnant pause later all the students suddenly let out a loud cry of fear. All of them started running towards the rather confused teachers. To make things even worse. The parents arrived. Upon seeing the situation their children where in, the mothers let out horrified screams, while the fathers looked startled. The teachers started thinking the safest course of action to get the students to safety. But an animals actions are even more unpredictable than a shinobis, so all they could do was stand still and wait and see.

"Don't move!" The teachers yelled at the parents, who looked ready to intercept. "If we scare it, we might make it worse! Someone call a Nara!"

The crowd started moving, everybody scrambling all over the place. The civilian mothers crying, "How can you expect us to do nothing?!"

The deer's eyes were searching and it was when they rested on Kira's form did it sprang foreword but not where the students where but where Kira and Sasuke currently were. Panic seized her as the deer got closer and closer. She couldn't even move.

"Sasuke!" came a horrified yell from the crowd, snapping Kira into attention. Looking over she saw that it was Mikoto Uchiha.

Aw, to hell with it.

Kira took the kunai from her pocket that she had forgotten to return to Iruka. Taking a stance in front of Sasuke, she readied herself for the right moment to strike.

"Sasuke," she spoke calmly, how she managed that at a time like this was surprising even to her, her eyes narrowed at the deer "Run."

"W-what?!" he asked dazedly, in shock by the whole situation.

Kira growled, now was not the time "I said RUN!"

She gave him a starting push and confusedly he complied. Running to the nearest teacher, he looked back expecting her to have followed him but his eyes widened when he saw that she didn't even move an inch.

 _What is that idiot doing?_

The deer ran, the Naras running alongside it ready to intercept when he abruptly stopped a foot away from Kira. Kira herself stood frozen, not daring to move.

Not even when it slowly walked towards her. She flinched a little when the deer sniffed her. She stood still, not daring to breath. When it backed up a little, she looked over to see that it had lowered himself to his head.

"Huh?"

"Did that deer just…bow?"

"It did!"

The confusion could be heard all over.

It seemed that the Naras that had circled Kira and the deer, finally understood for they relaxed just a little.

"He's showing his gratitude," came the amazed voice of who Kira recognized to be Ensui Nara.

"Towards her?" another member of the Nara questioned.

Shikaku Nara, who had been leading this 'operation' slouched in his stance, "It seems so." He looked towards the kid Rikumaru seemed to bow down to. She looked awkwardly back at the deer, so he started guiding her, "Move calmly towards him and bow slightly in return. Keep eye contact with it and pet his nose, this shows you have acknowledge his gratitude toward you."

Kira wanted to scream, _Say WHAT?! You should never keep eye contact with a wild animal, direct eye contact is a predatory move! Will it fight or flee is anyone's guess!_ But he was staring expectantly at her, so what choice did she really have?

Inching towards it she bowed awkwardly and put her hand shakily out. When it didn't attack she started petting it more confidently. The surrounding Nara also took this moment to approach, Rikumaru was it? And took him away, back to the Nara forest, where he belonged.

The crowd of parents gasped in relief and hurriedly reunited with their crying kids.

"Hey kid," Shikaku addressed her, "Ever seen that deer before?"

Kira opened her mouth to respond but at that moment a great deal of pain flashed at her side. She fell to her knees, clutching her stomach.

Shikaku's shoulders tensed, rushing to her side. His eyes expressed worry over the injuries she had but it didn't seem like they were caused by Rikumaru. Bruises, cut lip, black eye, seemed to be caused by fists. A badly gone spar then.

"Kira!" he heard someone shout from behind him. Turning around he saw his son's homeroom teacher Iruka Umino.

Pushing through the crowd, he ran over hurriedly. Kneeling beside Kira, he gathered her up into his arms and with a hurried, "I'm taking her to the hospital!" disappeared.

Just then the Hokage came over, and he did not look happy, "Shikaku Nara, an explanation if you could."

Shikaku scratched the back of his head, "Mendokuse," he sighed.

Turning towards the Hokage he began explaining, "Rikumaru had been acting weird all week. He's been constantly trying to come out of the Nara forest but has been stopped by my clan members every time, until today," he got a nervous tone to his voice there, "Looks like he finally had enough and escaped our notice using a different tactic," he sighed tiredly.

"But for what?" the Hokage questioned. After all, it's not every day he had a shinobi burst into his office to tell him that a deer was seen supposedly attacking the students at the Academy.

Shikaku's sharp eyes looked toward where Iruka had taken Kira, "That's what I'd like to know."

* * *

"You know, if this keeps up," Iruka spoke up into the silence of the room, "You'll have a room with your name on it." He joked trying to lighten up the mood.

He considered it a personal win when he saw her lips twitch a little, though ducked his head when the medic currently healing her huffed, "This is not a laughing matter." The medic rolled her eyes when Iruka only sheepishly smiled at her.

Kira for her part was very much fascinated by the green glow of medical ninjutsu the medic was displaying, "Tell me," her quiet voice brought the medic's attention to her, "Can medical ninjutsu be used offensively?"

The medic looked surprised at the question but answered anyway, "Why yes it can. Medical ninjutsu can be used for many reasons apart from just healing. Deranging the target's nervous system or sending them into a comatose state by overriding their body with chakra, the use of chakra scalpels in battle can also be used offensively. Really, the list goes on."

The medic tilted her head to the side, "Why? Are you thinking of becoming a medic? Have to warn you though, you'll have to have a really good grasp at your chakra control."

"Actually," Iruka piped up, "She does. The best I've seen in a student her age in fact," he was boasting a little but the medic either didn't notice or didn't care, nevertheless she seemed delighted at the news, "Oh! Well we would be more than happy to teach you some. We're not in the best shape since Tsunade left but every person counts!"

Kira just hummed, deep in thought.

The medic sweatdropped wondering if she was even listening to her.

A knock at the door garnered their attention. In walked the slouching from of Shikaku, "Can we come in?" The door opened wider to let the Hokage in as well.

"Hokage-Sama!" the two adult occupants of the room gasped and bowed low. Kira remained seated on the bed, just narrowing her eyes suspiciously at them.

"Is it alright if we chat privately, Misaki-san?" the Hokage politely asked. Of course the Hokage would know everybody.

"O-Oh! Of course Hokage-Sama. I was just finishing up." The medic, Misaki, gathered her things and swiftly left the room.

Iruka stood up from his seat, "Well I'm going back to the Academy. I'm sure I'll have a lot of angry parents to explain myself to." He left in a swirl of leaves. Leaving Kira with the two people she wanted to avoid the most.

"Good evening, Kira-Chan," Hokage-sama said smiling friendly, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm…good"

"Yes, I see, tell me Kira-Chan. What happened?" his voice was meant to be soothing but it did nothing of the sort to Kira. Which was unfortunately noticed by Shikaku. Looking at him, Shikaku had two scars on the right side of his face, which were his most noticeable feature. He had dark hair tied up into a spiky ponytail, as well as a goatee. So far, he was the most normal looking person Kira's seen here. But his eyes are what drew her in. Such intensity coupled with agility and intelligence.

And now with added pressure she started telling them of what happened a few days ago. How she found the wounded deer while taking a walk and helped it to the best of her abilities. By the end of her tale the Nara nodded in understanding, getting the picture.

"Well Kira, it seems the Nara clan owes you," Shikaku spoke up, startling Kira.

"For what?"

Shikaku chuckled lowly, "Well you see The Nara clan has a special bond with the deer of the Nara Clan Forest, only members of the clan are allowed inside without the deer attacking. The deer you helped belonged to that forest, though Rikumaru has always been more accepting of humans."

"So I would like to extend an invitation to a dinner my Clan is hosting. Usually, it involves the Yamanaka an Akimichi clans, but I'll make an exception this time."

"Isn't it supposed to be just for your three clans? I don't want to impose." Kira prayed to Kami she could talk her way out of this.

Shikaku smirked, seeing this and just for that Kira felt dread wash over her, "Well not exactly, it's just a social gathering. Nothing big. I would like it if you attended though. Think of it as us showing our inebtness towards you."

"I don't know." Kira answered acting unsure when really she was getting more and more annoyed with this man.

"Don't be so troublesome," he playfully chastises her, amused by the way she started pouting even though she doesn't seem to notice.

Kira's eye twitched, huffing "I'm not. **You** are."

"Well I think it's a wonderful proposition Kira. You should go," the Hokage gave his two-cents.

Kira growled inside her head.

 _Damn it! There has to be an ulterior motive. Alright then, I'll just have to play along until I see what he wants._

"Fine, I accept," she crookedly smiled at him.

Shikaku smirked, liking her spunk,"I'm looking forward to it already."

* * *

 **A/N R &R**

 **Yes, I know this chapter sucked kinda (I'll propably have to rewrite it a little), but I promise the next chapter will be 10x more awesome!**

 **This is the longest chapter I have written yet and I'm sorry for the wait, but I have finished my exams! Guess who got all A's? This girl!**

 **Yay! I smart! :D**

 **Haha anyway now that I have more time on my hands I'll hopefully be updating more regularly. I say hopefully 'cause I got a summer job as well so, yeah, hopefully.**

 **Fun fact: Actually when I first started writing, the idea I had was not about a self-insert being Obito's little sister but Naruto's third child! Just the idea of Naruto having a child with Kira's personality and ideals made my heart skip a beat (Imagine how awkward things would be between them!) but since I haven't seen the movie: Boruto (I know, I am a shame to all Narutards) I didn't know how to write it to it's full potential. Maybe I will in the future but right now I'm focusing on this story.**

 **I also have a poll on my profile for the whole Kira-reincarnation thing; right now it's:**

 **Nobody – 3**

 **Hagoromo – 2**

 **Hamura – 1**

 **Kaguya – 0**

 **Indra – 0**

 **And as always review (I especially love the long ones)**

 **XOXO – Kamigami**

 **Questions:**

 **To massacre the Uchiha or not to massacre the Uchiha? That is the question!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, K?**

 **Just to make it clear, Kira is not adopted by the Uchiha yet. The nurse just thought by her physical features that she was one.**

* * *

" _We were born to be real, not perfect"_ – Unknown

* * *

The night before I had to show up at the Nara's for dinner, I lay awake in the dark and staring at my ceiling, gathering whatever of my knowledge I had on the Nara clan.

The Nara clan is known for their intelligence and their medical research facility, they may not be the strongest, but they definitely produce the most intelligent. Which means figuring out their game plan is going to be hard. Especially since the Nara clan has a special relationship with the Akimichi and the Yamanaka clans.

Sighing lightly in tiredness I turned to my right to stare out my window to the moon. Maybe I'm overthinking things? Maybe they really do just want to thank me?

Then again, it's hard to trust them. They're shinobi after all, deception comes as easy as breathing to them.

And the whole thing with the Uchiha clan as well. Jeez, why is it so hard to just let me be?

Still, distrust and caution are the parents of security. If I'm going to make it through this dinner, I'll have to choose my words and measure my actions as carefully as possible 'cause they _will_ outsmart me.

And with that exhaustion finally took over and I promptly fell asleep, dreading the next day.

* * *

When I stepped out of Iruka's apartment, I was greeted to the sight of paint everywhere.

Random drawings and words were graffitied everywhere as I walked in the streets. Some were pretty good actually. But it doesn't seem like others agreed with my view; shop owners and street vendors along with a few early shoppers were all shocked by what they saw.

Hearing a mischievous snicker from above, I and the other villagers looked up to see Naruto standing, with a grin on his face, on a brick arch overlooking the street with a large paintbrush and a bucket of paint in his hands, "Hehe, NARUTO UZUMAKI, that's me! One day I'll be HOKAGE!" he yelled as he flipped through the air on a random rooftop to another.

I stared at his retreating form as the villagers cried out in outrage, not bothering to stick any longer to hear their complaints; I started walking away from them to the Nara clan's compound.

When I was far enough, I then let a ghost of a smirk stretch on my face.

 _Not bad for a kid_.

Walking around, I had a hard time finding the compound because of the spider web like streets and 'cause of the damn trees. They're everywhere! And it was so damn hot outside too, glad I chose to wear a simple T-shirt and shorts.

I was pretty sure I already passed the compound and was ready to call it quits and just go home –hey if I can't find it it's not my damn problem I didn't show up- when low and behold I see the slouching form of Shikaku Nara staring at the clouds above, his hands in pockets.

Staring at the gates uneasily I forced my legs to move, I guess it would be rude to ignore him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I came within a few feet from him. I mean I'm just one girl, couldn't he have sent Ensui or somebody else.

Already seeing the underlined question he shrugged his shoulders, "I tried to get out of it, but my wife berated me that it would be rude to not escort you to the dinner."

"For someone who's politically involved with the village, you sure are honest," I mean he just blatantly told me that he didn't want to deal with me. "I thought you said you were looking forward to it."

"Don't be troublesome."

"I'm not. **You** are," I glared, remembering this conversation to have already taken place.

Instead of giving me any indication that he heard me, he held out his hand.

Does he expect me to take it?

I stared at him for a long time. Willing with my eyes for him to put his hand away, but it seems he wasn't going down so easy.

Staaaaaaare

When he didn't relent, even smirked a little –how annoying!- I started to glare.

"…I _will_ pick you up and carry you if I have to." He said in a nonchalant tone, though I could see the amusement in his eyes.

"Why? I can walk just fine you know," I crossed my arms, not submitting to him.

He still had his hand out towards me, "So you won't get lost, and because I don't want you running away now," he muttered the last part.

My stature froze a little.

Damn Nara.

I begrudgingly put my hand in his.

As we walked, I took notice of how laid-back the compound actually looked. Not that I've seen many or any at all for that matter. Though as expected, the houses were traditional looking, nothing exquisite.

Nobody was seen walking through the streets though. Do they all gather in one place? Must be some big-ass backyard then.

Although, the closer we got to one of the bigger houses, the more nauseated I became. There was just so much chakra! And they were all cramped together.

I started taking deep breaths, fighting to stay conscious all the while stumbling in my steps. I tightened my grip on Shikaku's hand, to which he gripped back, "Whoa there, what's wrong?"

"I-I," I started to say and faltered in my steps slightly, but managed to regain my balance after a while. "Just a little nervous, that's all," I admitted, gritting my teeth a little.

He just chuckled, "Come on, it's not that bad. We're just a normal clan that likes to play shogi and sleep."

"Really," he continued, "You have nothing to be worried about."

 _Yeah, and can strangle a person via their own shadow. Just your normal everyday clan_ , I bitterly thought. "I've just never been in a clan compound before, that's all."

"Really? I could've pegged you for an Uchiha."

 _That's a lie. He **knows** I'm an Uchiha. _ I remained silent.

We walked a little further down the street before stopping in front of a large house, where everybody must be for the rather cramped chakra was getting closer and closer. I started taking easier breaths.

Not being able to help it, I asked, "Will there be skulls piled in any corner?"

"No, sorry to disappoint."

"Well, okay, but my expectations are pretty low now."

His lips twitched a little upwards as he dropped my hand and lead me along the porch to the backyard. There I saw members from all three clans socializing together. Well the women were sitting at the table and gossiping. The guys just sat around wherever, either casually talking or just sitting there.

Since I was watching and taking everything around me in, I didn't notice when Shikaku stopped walking, making me walk into him. "Ow!" I held my nose, 'cause damn Nara, that hurt! I glared up at him as he just put his hands in his pockets. "Hey," he greeted someone.

Looking from behind his legs I saw that he had stopped in front of the other clan head's; Inoichi Yamanaka and Chōza Akimichi if I remember correctly. They were sitting cross-legged on the edge of the porch, drinking and looking over the horizon.

They greeted him back before sliding their eyes curiously to me. Not one to be very sociable I gave them a blank stare, crossing my arms.

They took it as their que to introduce themselves first, probably thinking I was being shy.

Inoichi greeted me first, "Hello there, little one." _Little?_ "Who might you be?"

I was _so_ tempted to run away right now but practically _feeling_ the expectant eyes of Shikaku on me, I relented, "Kira." Simple and short, enough to keep the Nara happy.

"It's nice to meet you, Kira-chan," replied Inoichi, giving the slightest of smiles.

Inoichi has long ash blond hair, which he wore spiky on top and ending in a long ponytail, blue-green eyes and strong a jawline.

"Nice to meet you too, Yamanaka-sama, Akimichi-sama," I gave a low nod, bowing just feels awkward to me, though I hope I'm not being too disrespectful… eh, I gave a mental shrug.

Chōza gave a low chuckle, "No need to be so formal, Kira-chan. Just call us by our first names."

Chōza is a plump man with long, spiky red hair and purple markings on his cheeks - a clan trait.

I observed the area and saw that there were not as many people as I expected, "There's not that many people here. Where's Ensui?"

Shikaku answered her, "Ah, he and a few others had to do some damage control from the deer incident the other day."

"Shouldn't you be there as well?"

Shikaku yawned and waved his hand dismissevly.

Giving him a nod I looked up when I heard a tiny voice screech, "Shikaku-oji-san!"

Running towards us was a little girl –she's shorter than me- with blond hair and blue eyes, dragging a strangely pink-haired and green-eyed timid girl by the wrist along with her.

She gave him a quick hug, while the pink-haired girl wringed her fingers and hid behind the blonde one. "Where have you been?! I've been just _dying_ to introduce you to my new friend!" she grinned up at him, gesturing to Sakura who gave a half-hearted wave to him.

Sakura had fair skin, green eyes and pink hair. She was rather short for her age. In fact, looking around I saw that I was taller than every kid here.

Shikaku gave Ino an amused look, "Well, I've been just _dying_ to introduce you to _my_ new friend." He put a hand on my head, ruffling my locks while I looked up at him annoyed, swatting his hand away in vain.

The blondie gave a gasp as she saw me, then sauntered up to me and took both my hands in hers, "Hi! Welcome! I like your weird hair! It looks so pretty and long! We're going to be great friends, I just know it! Oh! My name's Ino Yamanaka, but you may call me Ino-sama or Ino-hime. And that over there is Sakura! What's yours?" she said that all in one breath amazingly.

"…Er," giving her a bored look, I was unsure what to do.

The three clan heads chuckled at us. Or maybe me? Nevertheless Inoichi, with amusement in his eyes, answered his daughter's question, "This is Kira, Ino-chan. She's a bit shy so please be gentle with her."

"I'm not shy," I grumbled under my breath. For a mind-reader you sure don't read me well.

"Why don't you show her around, Ino?" Shikaku suggested, ignoring my betrayed look.

"Sure!" she exclaimed, taking me by my wrist and running all over the place, Sakura awkwardly trying to catch up to us.

Ino dragged me just about everywhere and introduced me to a bunch of people I barley had 5 seconds to talk to before Ino dragged me to a new person. By the end of it both Sakura and I were exhausted from running around, me more because of lack of sleep and all the buzzing chakra in the air.

When Sakura told Ino she wanted to go to the bathroom, it felt like a gift from the gods. Ino tried to make me go with them but I declined and said I'd stay here. In all actuality, I was starting to get nauseous again.

Walking away from them, I approached the porch where the clan heads were lounging along with two younger boys beside them, one whom was lying on his back while the other was munching on his chips.

Shikamaru and Chōji.

Shikaku glanced at me when I passed them, "Back already?"

I just nodded my head, ignoring the two boys and lay next to them. Shikamaru opened one of his eyes to take a quick, assessing glance at me but other than that they didn't seem to mind me so, plopping down on my back, I put my hands behind my head and sighed in content.

The peace and quiet didn't last however.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you with these two!" Came a childish cry of Ino somewhere to my left –I didn't bother opening my eyes- "Now look at you! Lazying around!"

I heaved an irritated sigh, "First of all 'lazying' is not a word," if I'd opened my eyes I would've seen Ino blush in embarrassment, "Second, lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer the term…mmm…Selective Participation."

I swear I heard Shikamaru and the adults snort at that.

"Come on Kira! They're so boring! All they do is watch clouds, sleep, eat and play shougi!" Ino whined.

"Great," I retorted, "Sounds like my kind of people."

"Are you serious?!"

"No, I'm Kira."

"What?"

Heaving a heavy sigh, "Sakura, please make Ino stop talking." I pleaded with her but it was for naught 'cause all she did was shuffle her feet awkwardly and wring her fingers, "U-um Ino, maybe we shouldn't bother them."

Ino growled, annoyed at being not listened to, "Fine!" she smirked, "Then you, Lazy-Bones and Chubby can get me and Sakura some snacks."

"It's Sakura and I," I absent-mindedly corrected her.

Shikamaru opened his eyes, irritated at being disturbed in his sleep and growled back at Ino, "We're not your lackeys."

"Whatever," she waved her hand at us, "Just get it done." With that she took an unsure Sakura's hand and took off.

Meanwhile none of us moved an inch.

Chōji sighed. "She's treating us like slaves."

"We should start a revolution."Shikamaru suggested

"Alright, you round up the allies and I'll get the weapons." I also quipped.

We were silent for a while before bursting into light chuckles. Sitting upright I faced the boys, our small group forming a circle, with a little smile on my face, "The name's Kira."

To my left, Chōji smiled shyly, his face red, "I'm Chōji."

To my right Shikamaru gave a lazy smirk that I couldn't help but notice how similar it was to his father's, "Shikamaru."

From the corner of my eye I could see Shikaku and Chouza watching us with amusement shining in their eyes, while Inoichi's eyes were stuck on the shougi board in between him and Shikaku. He was sporting a concentrated face and I guessed he was a little stuck on how to move forward.

I contemplated something before turning to the two boys, "Can you play?"

Chouji shook his head but Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "Can you?"

"No," I answered truthfully, "but anything's better than playing waiter to Ino." I deadpanned to him.

He thought for a moment and then nodded his head.

"Troublesome..." he says, getting up. I get the feeling I'll be hearing that a _lot_ around him.

We walked up to their dads, Shikamaru in the lead, "Hey, old man. We're bored. Can we play?" Short and simple, as always.

Shikaku took a sip of his drink, "In a minute." And moved his piece with the kanji 'silver general' on it.

"Why don't we sit down until they finish?" Chōji suggested, already taking a seat with Shikamaru following. I was about to sit down as well when we all heard a loud shriek coming from where Ino and Sakura currently were at the kitchen.

The boys and I glanced at each other for a second and then ran over to them to see what had happened.

When we got there, Ino and Sakura where holding on to each other and shaking slightly whilst pointing at something in the corner of the room, "I-It's a SNAKE!" The girls managed to shriek in unison.

I looked down and sure enough, a little white snake had somehow managed to find itself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The snake was white and pretty small. It reminds me of the old folktales where a white snake is said to be a messenger from God.

When Ino suddenly got her hands on a broom I quickly intercepted her, "Hey!" I put my hand out to stop her, "It is said that white snakes are the messengers of God. You are risking divine retribution."

Walking over to it I offered a hand to the snake and watched as it curled around my forearm. Ignoring the curious stares the adult pinned me with, I took the snake and unhurriedly walked with it and released him into the forest. I watched as it slithered away before returning to the four shocked faces of the others.

"How were you not scared?" Ino demanded, still shaken up.

"There was nothing to be afraid _of_." I explained rolling my eyes at her. The snake wasn't even that big.

Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets and sighed, "Troublesome girls." Looking over to his dad he called over, "Can we play now?" Shikaku sighed as well and reluctantly beckoned us over.

"What are you going to play? Ninja?" Ino gasped before her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and grabbed my hand. "Can we play too?!"

"No, we're going to play shogi," Shikamaru answered for me as he grabbed my other hand to tug me over to the board. Ino gasped, giving my hand a sharp tug, forcing Shikamaru and I to stop, "You've completely corrupted her!" she accused him, pointing her index finger at his face.

"No, I haven't. She _wanted_ to play," Shikamaru said, his tone suggesting that he was annoyed at her.

"That's because she doesn't know better!"

"You are ripping my arms off." I injected, growling through my teeth.

We were interrupted by a shinobi appearing next to us. While the others were startled by his sudden appearance, I was completely calm having sensed his approach.

He was an ANBU by the looks of it. Shikaku, Inoichi and Chōza were instantly on guard, but kept a cool façade, they flash-stepped in front of us, making sure we were behind them.

"What is it you need?" Inoichi, ever the diplomat inquired him.

The ANBU addressed them coolly, "I am the Hokage's personal guard here to pass on a message from him concerning one who is named Kira."

Ino, Sakura and Choji gave a gasp of surprise while Shikamaru's eyes narrowed as he stepped lightly in front of me as if trying to hide me from view. Even at this age he seemed to know the severity of the situation.

The ANBU politely pretended that he didn't notice and looked straight at Shikaku, "Can I trust you'll deliver this message?"

Shikaku gave his usual lazy sigh, whether or not it was to cease the tension was up for debate, "Well, let's hear it."

"The Hokage would like her to know that her current guardian is unable to tend to her as he is currently away on an emergency mission and is unable to pick her up. Umino-san sends his regards and says he has left money for her on the kitchen table and food in the fridge."

Chōza raised his eyebrow in surprise, "Does Hokage-sama expect her to take care of herself?"

"Kira has proven to being quite sufficient of taking care of herself. She has been living by herself after all," the ANBU left at that point, not finding any need to linger any further as his orders were fulfilled.

All of a sudden everybody's eyes were on Kira, awaiting an explanation. I gave them a bored look back, "Of course I know how to take care of myself. I'm an orphan."

Realization filled their eyes as they started shifting uncomfortably, obviously not sure what to say or do.

Shikaku and Shikamaru seemed to be the only ones unaffected by the news. Seemed. Shikamaru sighed and stepped forward and putting his hand on my shoulder, started pushing me to the direction of the shogi board, "Come on, we have a game to settle."

I don't know why but I felt kind of relieved for the aversion.

Taking our seats, Shikamaru sat criss-cross while I sat in seiza-style, we started our game. Shikamaru started explaining the rules while I tried to keep up. Neither of us noticed when Chōji, Ino and Sakura joined us by sitting to the side and the three clan heads took their leave, quietly whispering to each other.

"You know I haven't seen you around the Academy outside of chakra control classes," Shikamaru noted, moving a piece. I shrugged.

We played well into the evening, simultaneously ignoring Ino who no matter how many times we ignored her, still came back with Sakura every few minutes to persuade us to play ninja with them. Chōza went back and forth between sitting and watching to going to the table with snacks on it to snatch a chip or two. It wasn't long before Ino and Sakura got tired and went home. What can I say, I'm still pretty aware of my surroundings even if I'm playing a game that requires full concentration to win. Maybe that's why I've lost four out of six times.

But since he's Shikamaru, a super genius by default, I'll take pride in my two wins.

And because I was aware of my surroundings, I wasn't the least bit startled when Shikaku suddenly flash-stepped crouching next to us, after he said farewell to his guests. While Shikamaru practically jumped out of his skin, clearly his head was completely in the game. Not a good trait for a shinobi to have. They have to be aware of _everything_ going on, with their own battle and their teammates'.

"… _the whole point of this exercise is to also keep yourself aware of what's happening around you. If you concentrate too much on one thing an enemy might sneak up on you and you might end up losing your life. You must be constantly alert."_

Meanwhile for me it didn't matter if I won or lost, I just wanted something to do.

"What are you thinking?" Shikaku inquired from us.

"That I might just have to get a board of my own."

"Why may I ask?"

At that moment I felt the chakra signature of a woman approaching the house.

"Keeps my brain busy."

 _Keeps me distracted form my day-to-day problems._

"Oh?" he asked surprised.

I moved another piece and sighed, "Yeah, anyway," I looked up at the sky, "It's getting late. I should probably get going."

"Yeah about that," Shikaku promptly said. Making me narrow my eyes suspiciously. Shikaku got up and motioned for me to follow him, "Come with me." He started walking ahead.

Looking to Shikamaru he shrugged his shoulders and started packing up the game, not knowing what his old man has planned either.

Following him, Shikaku leads me through the house to another room, "I've been thinking,"

Uh Oh

"And I think it would be best for you to spend the night here."

"No."

"Because a lot can happen during the night and I'd sleep easier if I knew you were safe."

"You'd sleep anyway."

"And I don't want to be responsible if something were to happen to you."

"Finally, some honesty."

"So would you please humor me this once?"

"No."

"I'll buy your shogi board for you."

I stopped in my tracks and glared up at him, "You're not gonna give up, are you?"

"No," he smirked.

"Then I hope you enjoy failure."

He slid open a door, "Okaeri," he says entering the room.

There stood a woman with dark brown hair in a low ponytail with strands framing her face, fair skin and dark eyes. She wears a pink blouse and dark-colored skirt along with an apron over it and also wears a pair of earrings.

She was in the middle of putting groceries away, "I'm sorry I'm late, we were running out of food –no surprise- so I had to go run to the market. Hey, the girls told me that an ANBU appeared out of nowhere. Care to explain?"

"Well...," he scratched the back of his head, "it seems Kira will be joining the family."

She gave him a bewildered look while I elbowed him in the stomach and scowled up at him. _He trapped me_ "What he means is that my current guardian is unavailable at the moment, so he asked you to take care of me for the night and Shikaku agreed." I awkwardly stumbled over my words.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru injected.

"Don't be impolite Shikamaru!" the woman slapped him upside the head, before turning to me, "Of course you can stay Kira-san. I'm Yoshino, I'll show you to the guest room." She smiled at me.

She took me to a room with a simple futon, closet and desk.

Yoshino told me that dinner will be ready soon but I told her that I wasn't hungry and will just go to sleep anyway.

"Alright, if you need anything you can always ask," she told me kindly with a gentle smile.

I nodded and watched as she left the room. I went and sat on the bed, still looking over the room.

When I was sure no one would come bothering me, I took my notebook with my camera designs in it and began writing in it.

Afterwords, I tried to go to sleep, but couldn't, so I decided to go out to get some fresh air, taking my notebook with me.

* * *

Shikaku was lying in bed, trying to go to sleep when he heard a door slid open and closed, but strangely no footsteps.

It couldn't have been an enemy, the chakra wasn't concealed. And it belonged to a child. Kira.

His curiosity of why his temporary charge was up so late peaked his curiosity and he found himself getting out of bed. Besides, he wanted to know what's bothering her.

He put on his old jonin shirt and also a blanket and quietly –so as not to wake his wife- slid the door open and closed it. With silent footsteps he approached the backyard porch.

There he found Kira scribbling something in a notebook.

He concealed his chakra as well. The way she always looked at the general direction of someone before they approached made him believe that she was a sensory type. His suspicions were confirmed when he deliberately flash-stepped between Kira and Shikamaru when they were playing shogi.

Stepping behind her he looked over her head.

"What's that?" he asked, loudly on purpose.

He was stunned when he saw shrug her shoulders. As if she knew he was there all along. A sensitive sensory type then.

Before Kira knew it, he had taken the notebook from her hands.

"What an unusual code," he mused while flipping through the many pages.

"Hey! Give it back!" Kira protested, but was ignored as he kept looking at the strange diagrams and mathematical equations and what looked like codes written next to them. They weren't kanji, that much he knew. They seemed to be too in tuned to be just squiggly lines. He'd never seen anything like it.

Before he could study them further, Kira snatched it from his hands.

"How did you come up with this, looks pretty complicated."

"It's not that hard," she closed the notebook with a snap, "If humans can codify their existence then why can't I make up one?"

Shikaku sat next to her, "Explain." He wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, startling her. Kira touched the blanket before pulling it tighter around her. The day is always warmer than the night here.

Kira looked at Shikaku and debated whether or not share her ideals on human concepts. "Humans consider themselves unique so they've created a scale to bring it down to human size, they've codified their existence with numbers and lette- kanji, to make it understandable so that they could prove their existence."

"You speak as if _you're_ not human."

"Honestly, even I'm not sure anymore."

Shikaku was silent for a moment, "Kira," he started gently, "I feel the need to ask you this," he looked into her eyes, "Do you know something we don't?"

"I know a lot of things. Things I shouldn't know, but I do."

"What do you know?"

Kira looked at him before looking ahead into the night and shook her head, "I'm not sure you're ready for it. Humans –civilians and shinobi alike- are so driven by power and profit that it might just bring instability and disorder."

"Ignorance brings instability, not knowledge."

"Then why are human beings more concerned with having than with being?"

Shikaku heaved a heavy sigh and chuckled lightly, "You're asking some tough questions, you know that?"

Kira gave him a pointed look but didn't reply, just stared ahead.

"You know," Shikaku broke the silence, "I have never met someone quite like you before."

"I've heard that before."

Shikaku thought back to the incident with Rikumaru and of today, "The way you think… you're obviously talented, you think ahead, you don't give in to your emotions. You could be the most ingenious kunoichi of your generation."

Kira gave him a dubious look, "What have you been smoking and where can I get some?"

"Why aren't you in the Academy?" he asked, seriously.

Kira scowled at him, "I don't want to be a shinobi."

"Don't you want to protect those important to you?"

"I don't have those kind of people."

Shikaku stared her down, "I think you do. More than you realize."

"What does it matter anyway?" Kira's voice raised a little, "This is just a big game for you people anyway. And we're the disposable rooks."

A stunned silence occurred. Kira pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, "But that's just a game. Can you imagine what it feels like to have thousands of your comrades dead? And your loved ones…gone."

"You're talking about a war."

"I'm talking about not wanting to fear for my life every waking moment."

"That's ridiculous. There is no greater honor than dying for your comrades, serving your village, your country."

"Honor?" Kira whispered, then raised her voice, "You cheat, you lie, you kill! There is no _honor_ in being a serial killer!"

Shikaku shook his head at her naivety, "But do you know _why_ we do what we do? We _protect_. In the world we live in there is no other way."

"Exactly, and that's a world I don't want to be a part of."

Shikaku smiled sadly at her, "Nobody special gets overlooked Kira. It's only a matter of time."

Kira gave him a blank look, "I **know**."

They were silent for a while before Shikaku sighed and stood up, "Come on. I think that's enough heart-to-heart for today." He held a hand for her to take.

Kira stared at the offered hand, "What do you do when time doesn't wait anymore?"

Shikaku grabbed her hand and pulled her up, "Then you just have to beat the time."

He led her back to her room, both of them not saying a word. He didn't leave until she was under the covers. He then ruffled her hair, chuckling when he heard her growl at him.

"Good night, Kira-chan."

He waited in silence for a response but when minutes ticked by he started to leave. He was just about to slide the door closed when he heard a soft, "Good-night, Shikaku," followed with soft and deep breathing, signaling that Kira was asleep.

Shikaku let a soft smile on his face and firmly slid the door closed to not let anymore cold wind inside the room. Walking to his own room he shared with his wife, he put his hands in his pockets.

At first Shikaku was mildly curious about the enigma that was Kira but the more he gets to know her, the more he feels drawn to her.

She really is a mistery.

And Shikaku's never been one to back down from a challenge.

* * *

The white snake slithered through the forest. Seemingly a normal looking snake, easily overlooked. It seemed as if it was searching for its next meal, but in reality, it was answering to its master's call.

His master had the strangest eyes. Just by looking at them he felt the need to bend to his every will.

His master told him to go find a girl presumably named Kira. Such a strange request, but who was he to question his master.

Finally he saw his master in the distance, wearing a dark cloak, with his hood up masking his face. His master bent down and held up a hand. The snake gladly curled itself around his master, and stared into his master's beautiful red eyes. With a single glance into the snake's eyes, the cloaked man saw what he needed before releasing the snake from his control. He had no need for it anymore.

He had thought Zetsu was deceiving him but…

"It's true," he shakily whispered, a single tear gliding down his face, his sharingan glowing in the dark, "She's alive."

He would've loved nothing more than to go see her himself, but for now he sensed the ANBU coming. So he Kamui'd out of the village with a promise to return, soon.

* * *

 **A/N An update! So, it seems Kira has finally admitted defeat. Le gasp! Obito?!  
**

 **Very sorry for it being late. You know how this goes. Now I'm not gonna be like every other author promising a bunch of stuff and then a cookie. I don't believe in cheap tricks like that.**

 **Besides, I know my readers are way too smart and beautiful for that.**

 **Haha :D okay but seriously I'll try to be better.**

 **I know I'm late. I'm trying okay?!**

 **I've also posted another story called 'Minako' – It's an SI/OC reincarnated as Naruto's daughter.**

 **Also here are the current poll results:**

 **Hagoromo – 23**

 **Nobody – 17**

 **Kaguya – 15**

 **Indra – 9**

 **Hamura –9**

 **The poll is still going on so whoever hasn't voted yet can still do so.**

 **Questions:**

… **Don't have one this time! I don't know… How's your summer vacation been? Have you traveled somewhere? Where? What's the craziest thing you've done so far?**

 **Alright so as always, review. I do read them, twice. Appreciate the long ones :)**

 **If I have made any error or something, please point it out. If you have something you'd like to see in future chapters, or suggestions on how to make the story even better, PM me or leave a review.**

 **Also shout out to reader Miwacat for posting three reviews just to get me to update. You're efforts have not gone to waste. Welcome to the wonderful world of Fanfiction, I like your spunk and hope that you'll keep liking my story! :3**

 **Thank you to continuous readers and reviewers - patrick. dejong94, RadioPoisoning, DarkDust27, iluvfairytale, Kejmur, lizy2000, Mimosa Evans, and of course the mysterious guest reviewers.**

 **And for those who PM'd me about drawing my OC Kira. You have my permission to do it, you don't even have to ask, but pleeaaasseee tell me if you do 'cause I want to see them :D**

 **XOXO – Kamigami**

 **P.S - Happy Birthday to Kushina! 10.07!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

* * *

" _ **If you fall, I'll be there for you"**_ **– Floor**

* * *

 _How the hell did I get myself into this?_

Was the thought ringing through Kira's head as she gave the children –yes, children 'cause she won't put herself in the same category as these mongrels- sitting in front of her an unimpressed look. While Iruka was happily grinning from ear to ear next to her, she was giving him a fierce glare that would've made a lesser man cower. Honestly, it was all his fault for the predicament she was in. Well, maybe not all of it was his fault, but he contributed in it just as much, so Kira found she had every right to be mad at him.

Oh Iruka knew that she won't introduce herself, so he took it upon him to do it for her, still feeling her trying to glare a hole through his head, "Right everyone! Say hello to your new classmate, Kira!" He gestured towards her, "I'm sure some of you have already met her in your chakra training class. She was just transferred from the civilian program to the shinobi one. Please treat her well."

And as the class bowed their heads and chorused a 'welcome' to her, Kira couldn't help but think back to how it all started.

* * *

"Why do I need to learn this?" Asked Kira as Iruka held out some kunai for her.

Iruka in return gave her a million Ryō smile and scratched the back of his cheek, "Well, it never hurts to know the basic's you know."

They were at the training grounds. The closest one to the boarder of the village. Iruka came home a few days ago, saying he felt guilty for abandoning her like that without any warning. Kira had told him several times that it didn't bother her and that she understood his situation. But still, when a free day came rolling around, he decided that dragging Kira by the wrist to the training grounds and teaching shurikenjutsu was a great idea. What kid _doesn't_ want to learn how to stab people?

Kira took the kunai between her thumb and index finger and with a grimance held it an arm's length away from her, "I'm not sure about this…" She felt Iruka pat the crown of her head, "Come on! It'll be fun. Just watch!" He tried to encourage her. Iruka has long since learned that Kira needed a bit of pushing if one wanted her to learn anything shinobi related.

Meanwhile Kira didn't really feel like learning how to throw knives but looking around the field she saw that Iruka had already gone through the trouble of setting the dummies and targets in place. That hopeful expression on his face didn't help either.

Sighing in defeat she nodded her head and watched as a large grin came over his face before he guided her towards the first target. It was just a white circle with a black dot in the middle.

When a cold breeze broke through she pulled her jacket a little closer to her body. The weather has been growing colder. It seems Konoha will have a snowy winter this year. They had those sometimes.

Today she wore three-quarter dark blue pants with a T-shirt and a jacket over it.

"Now watch closely," She watched as Iruka steadied himself into a stance. He took a moment to calculate the winds movement and the distance between him and the target before flicking his wrist. It hit dead-center.

"It's all about hand-eye coordination." He pulled her in front of the target. "Grab it by the ring, flick your wrist and pull your arm back. Throw it with your arm going in an arc at a close 90 degree angle. Try to release it in mid-throw. But remember everyone has their own style of throwing. There are no specific rules. You may grab it by the ring or by the tip, with your dominant hand or your non-dominant hand. It's really up to what you're most comfortable with."

 _I am_ _ **so**_ _past_ _ **comfortable**_ _right now..._

With a frown clearly shown on her face to make sure Iruka saw her displeasure, she drew her hand back and threw the kunai.

Into the bushes.

Kira couldn't even find it in herself to be embarrassed, and shrugged when Iruka gave her an incredulous look. He tried to cheer her up though.

"Don't be disappointed! This is your first try! It'll get better! ...I hope…" He muttered the last part to himself whilst trying to –unnecessarily- comfort her.

All through afternoon Iruka persistently made her throw kunai after kunai. It was almost sun set, but only one kunai managed to get stuck at the very edge of the board.

Feeling Iruka's chakra shift, Kira looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Taking in his expression, she couldn't help but give him a weird look and ask him, "Why the disappointed look?"

He flinched guiltily, standing a little straighter at the accusation, "Of course I'm not! I just…well…"

"Yes?"

Iruka sighed defeated before looking at her nervously, "It's just that Uchiha are generally very talented in shurikenjutsu. In fact, their skills are highly praised. Some can even hit targets that are located in their blind spots."

She glared, "I'm _not_ an Uchiha."

Sighing in exasperation he shook his head, "Let's just go home. It's getting late and we still have dinner to eat." He turned around and started walking away. When he noticed that Kira wasn't following him, he looked back seeing her pick up the many weapons that have been thrown all over the place, "Kira?"

She didn't turn to look at him, instead picking up a kunai, "You go. I'll catch up once I finish picking these up."

Iruka looked at her oddly, "Alright." He turned around once again.

He smiled when he heard the distinct sound of weapons being thrown around.

* * *

 _Thunk_

Kira panted slightly as her arm was getting more and more tired. It now had three kunai stuck on the board, but none on the black dot. She glared at the target.

 _I don't care. Why should I care? To just put expectations on me like that because I have some Uchiha blood in my veins. Just because they can do it and I can't doesn't make them any better. I have just as much potential as they do!_

She didn't realize she was throwing the kunai angrily, until one whizzed past the tree, grazing it and hearing a distinct shout, "Itai!" made her sober up.

Looking towards the direction of the cry in alarm, Kira couldn't remember where the shout came from. But it seems she didn't have to for the person revealed himself as he walked past the nearby bushes, rubbing a sore spot on his shoulder where the shirt he was wearing was slightly ripped by the kunai, Kira guessed.

The boy was rather handsome. He had short, messy hair, dark eyes and noticeable eyelashes that were turns upwards at the end.

"So you're the one who threw this kunai." He grinned at her pleasantly and handed the kunai handle-first back to her.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" She got straight to the point.

"Hm? I was just passing by. Aren't you going to introduce yourself at least? You did almost kill me."

Kira raised an eyebrow incredulously, "That's unlikely. First of all these training grounds are used by students, which you are obviously not, so you wouldn't have even been there if you didn't have a specific reason to approach me. Second I can tell you're a highly skilled shinobi so you could've dodged that kunai in your sleep. Furthermore, I sensed your chakra long before you decided to reveal yourself, 'coincidentally' right after my sensei left."

The boy didn't show any outward expression for a second. He watched her silently before chuckling, "So what I've heard is true. You really are exceptional."

"I don't know what you've heard but I'm just highly logical."

His expression showed intrigue, "Shisui. Uchiha Shisui."

"Kira. Just Kira."

"Well 'just Kira'. You seemed to be having trouble with your aim. Am I correct?" Shisui asked her.

"How did you figure that out? You _must_ be a genius." Kira deadpanned.

Shisui took the mocking in grace, "I know right? Now show me."

Kira gave him a surprised look, "Demanding much?" She muttered.

"I'm the Jōnin captain of my own team. I have to be." He casually injected.

"Wow," She said, "And how hard did you work that answer to slip in that you're a Jōnin captain?"

"I'm exhausted from the effort," He smirked. "Did it work? Are you thoroughly impressed?"

"Swooning."

"Finally, it's been a long time since I've got a good swoon."

Kira rolled her eyes at him as she settled in front of the target. She thought back to Iruka's instruction and threw. Good thing is, it made the target.

If the target was on the tree next to her.

Kira's eye twitched as she heard Shisui whistle, "Wow. That was bad."

"I know."

"Like really, really bad."

" _I know_."

"Absolutely horrible."

"Shut up already."

"Again."

"What?"

Shisui looked at her with a serious look, "Do it again." He demanded.

Kira blinked at him and took her stance. She felt Shisui go behind her and take her hand in his, guiding it, "You should lock your wrist." He put her hand in the right position.

That's how Kira found herself spending her time until it was dark out. And Kira also found that Shisui was a great teacher. If he could single-handedly teach Kira how to throw dead-enter, then that was a great teacher in her book.

When Kira was packing up her things, she heard Shisui say, "Before the sun sets."

"What?"

He let a soft smile on his face, "I usually train until the sun sets in training ground four. Come find me if you need help with anything again."

"Why are you helping me?"

"You _are_ an Uchiha. By blood if not by name. We look out for each other."

Kira narrowed her eyes, "I'm not an Uchiha." She growled.

Shisui in turn snickered, "Not with that hair you're not." He teased her lightly, taking a strand of red hair between his fingers.

Kira glared at him fiercely before turning on her heels, "Baka! I hope all of _your_ hair falls off!" She called to him, hoping to annoy him as much as he did her.

But could only hear loud laughing, "Don't be like that Ra-Chan!"

"Go bald, Uchiha!"

 _Did he just give me a nickname?_

* * *

"Alright, class is over!"

Iruka dismissed the class. The class gave a tired cheer and went over to talk to their friends. Iruka went over and kneeled down to a panting Kira. Training has been increasing lately. "Are you alright?" He asked, her putting a hand on her back.

She nodded to his question and they both looked up at the same time when they saw Daikoku approaching with his own class.

Iruka was puzzled over their arrival, "Daikoku? What are you doing here?"

Daikoku gave him an easy smile, "I thought that since it's a nice day outside that we could combine our classes in a joint target practice." Iruka mulled over this for a second, "Yeah! It would be good for them to have a different routine once in a while."

Kira barely heard what he said, too distracted by a certain dark-haired Uchiha who was looking at her out of the corner of his eye but looked away when his eyes caught hers.

"Kira?" Hearing her name, she looked up at Iruka who sighed when he realized that she didn't listen to him, "I asked if you would mind helping us with the other students. There are too many of them so an extra pair of hands would be beneficial." Kira had already demonstrated to him what she learned from Shisui –not that she told him it was Shisui who taught her, the man was so proud of himself, Kira just couldn't break it to him.

Usually when chakra practice was over, Kira was free to go home. But she didn't have anything better to do so she decided why not.

"Okay class! Gather around, we will now move onto target practice! Go pick a target!" Iruka called over to them. Everyone went over to the practice targets. Them on one side while the targets on the other and began throwing.

Iruka turned to her, "Just go by each of the students and tell them what they're doing wrong or how they should improve. If they don't get it demonstrate. Daikoku and I will take that part, you take that." He pointed out to her. "When you're finished, I would appreciate it if you would sharpen some of the dulled kunai in this box from the last lesson." She nodded to show him, she understood.

She started walking at a slow pace through each and every student. Almost all of them did it wrong. Almost, because few like Hinata, Shino and Sasuke –of course- were exceptions. Though what was weird was that when she came over to inspect his post, he completely froze. His muscles became very tense, but even so he managed to throw very well, so Kira didn't see the need to give him pointers.

She also decided ignore the slacking off figures of Choji and Shikamaru.

In contrast however, Naruto's throws were completely off the mark. He kept trying to throw them like basketballs and his kunai would always spin off course. Kira went over to him quickly, before he injured someone.

Just as he was about to throw another one of his deathly throws, Kira grabbed his wrist before he could. He squeaked in surprise when he saw her, "Don't be so hasty." She told him.

She fixed his stance and his throwing arm, "Draw your arm back and try to release it mid-throw. Keep your wrist locked. Don't flick it."

He looked at her uncertainly, but when she just patiently waited for him to throw, he did just as instructed and to his utter shock almost hit dead-center. He was only a few short centimeters off. With a large grin on his face he faced her, "Yosh! I did it!"

Kira nodded and walked to the next kid when Naruto tugged on her jacket, "Ano, where have you been? I don't see you around the apartment anymore." His voice shook nervously.

"I don't live there right now. I'm living with an acquaintance."

"Oh, well, I've been great!" He forced a smile, "In fact my birthday was three weeks ago."

 _Has it really been that long?_

"I see," Kira nodded at him, "Tanjōbi Omedetō Gozaimasu, Naruto."

Naruto's face turned significantly brighter, he nodded back, "Thank you." But there was still an underlined sadness.

Later when Kira sharpened the kunai, she still thought back to Naruto. She didn't have anywhere to sit, so she pushed herself on top of a tree-branch. She hasn't learned tree-walking yet. Yet, the face of Naruto still plagued her mind.

 _Oh, geez…so annoying._

She paused in her sharpening to break off a tree-branch in front of her. She took a kunai out of the box and started carving it until it resembled a toad. Maybe she can give it to him as a Birthday present after class? She wasn't a pro at carving but it wasn't that bad either. After all of those art classes from 'Before'

"Iruka! Daikoku!" A Jōnin came yelling as he ran up to them.

"Hayama?" Iruka blinked at him in confusion before turning to the class once he saw that they all halted their training, "You keep practicing!"

He and Daikoku met the approaching shinobi half-way, "There's an emergency. The shinobi of…"

That's all Kira heard from her spot on the tree before their voices became too hushed to listen in to. What could've happened that they need Chūnin to take care of an emergency? She turned back to sharpening the kunai.

Not a second later when Iruka called, "Kira!" She looked down when she heard Iruka's alerted call, "Come down here!" Standing up on the tree branch and then jumping down next to Iruka, Kira watched as he turned towards the class, "Listen up everybody! Daikoku and I have to take are of some business so we probably won't be back for a while!" The whole class cheered, "Does that mean we get to go home early?"

"NO!" Iruka yelled annoyed by the question, while the kids gave an aw in disappointment.

Iruka hugged at them, "Listen! Daikoku and I have been called in for an emergency!" He put a hand on Kira's shoulder, "In the meantime I'm appointing Kira in charge!

Say what now?

"Whatever she says, goes!" He handed me his paper pad holder that had the lessons' activities and notes on students' progress written in it.

"Iruka I can't-!"

"You'll be fine." He pushed it in her hands and promptly ran out of there with Daikoku.

Kira suddenly felt massive pairs of eyes on her person. Turning around to face the class, she saw them all looking at her like guideless puppies, waiting for instruction. Kira looked down at Iruka' papers and scratched the back of her head when it said, 'Handling of ninja weapons and tools'.

"Umm…How about we do somet-"

All of a sudden a girl with purple hair styled in an asymmetrical cut started laughing loudly, "Haha, I can't believe sensei is so dense! He actually believes we'll listen to her?! What a joke! She's not even a student!"

The class was silent. Kira stared at her blankly, waiting patiently for her to stop.

"Let's go guys! We're wasting our time." She and her companions started towards the Academy's gates when seemingly out of nowhere a kunai flew at them. They all froze when some strands of Ami's hair cut off as the kunai embed itself to the tree trunk in front of Ami with a bull's eye on it. Looking closely at it, students could see that it hit dead-center.

Ami, still shocked felt her hair with her hand, angrily turning around she yelled, "What do you think you're doing?!"

She was taken aback when Kira's cold voice rang through the field, "Stop it already. Your actions are embarrassing. If you take another step, I'll be forced to take action."

Ami sneered at her, "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"It's a promise," Kira said evenly back, eyes narrowing. And even though her posture was calm, there was just something about her that demanded respect and some of the class could help but stare in awe at her, especially Sakura who had been a constant target of Ami's bullying until Ino came around.

Ami wanted to stare her down but Kira's eyes were too scary-looking, too dark. Not at all like Sasuke-kun's. So instead she looked at her classmates for support, "Come on guys! Let's go!"

But instead it had the opposite effect everyone started to gather around Kira, standing behind her. As if they were the subordinates and she was their leader. Surprisingly, it was Shikamaru who took the first step. Naturally, right behind him was Choji, with Ino tagging along with Sakura. Naruto was the next to step up alongside Sasuke, both boys glaring at each other the entire way. This continued until the entire class was behind her.

Kira addressed Ami once more, "I don't expect you to participate, but I won't let you leave just like that."

Ami gritted her teeth, but when she saw it was no use she slumped her shoulders and reluctantly walked to the rest of the class, still glaring when she passed Kira.

Kira sighed in exasperation before turning around to face the class, "Well, Iruka had some sort of weapon training today-" She was cut off by a large groan, courtesy of Kiba, "But, I think we should rather play soccer."

A ring of confusion amongst the students rang through.

"What's sakkaru?" Ino decided to ask for the whole class.

"Oh boy…" Looking around, she saw that indeed no one had any idea of what's she talking about. "It's a game based on strength, strategy, speed and stamina." Everyone perked up and started to feel a little more exited. "I'll set everything up, in the meantime keep practicing your weapon throwing." She said in a loud voice so that everyone could hear.

"Hai sensei!" They chorused.

Kira winced, "Don't call me that."

"Then what should we call you?" An innocent question came from Chōji.

Kira groaned softly, "I don't care, but don't call me sensei. Now go."

"Hai senpai!" _Oh God…_

When Sasuke passed her she called out to him, "Oh, Sasuke."

"Hai?" He froze, his posture stiff but didn't turn to face her.

"Please make sure everybody does their training correctly."

"Hai, senpai!" He nodded and then bolted after the others.

Kira gave him a last odd look and then walked away to the other side of the field. Taking four kunai, she stabbed two of them onto the ground a few feet away from each other as makeshift goals. Then she took another two kunai and did the same at the opposite side. Next she took a kunai and drew lines on the ground. By the time she was finished, all the others had abandoned their target practice to look at what she did.

"Alright! The rules are simple. There will be two teams competing against each other. The objective of this game is to sore as many goals for your team as possible. To do that you need to get this ball through the goals. The ball is out of play when it fully crosses either the goal line or the touch line. It is also out of play if the referee stops play for any reason. If, for any reason, the ball strikes the frame of the goal or remains within the goal and touch lines, it is still in play. There are two goals marked by those kunai. A goal is scored when the ball has crossed the goal line within the frame of the goal. At the end of the match, the team with the most goals is the winner. We need someone to be a referee and each team needs a captain. Any volunteers?"

Shino raised his hand, "Who is a referee?"

"The referee is the authority on the field, he must know all the rules and make sure they are not broken, his word is law."

"Then I find this role most suitable for me," Kira nodded her head at him, "Alright."

"Oh!Oh! I wanna be a captain!" Ino raised her hand as high as the sky. When Kira beckoned her over, she stood next to her.

"If no one else then I will be the second captain. Now Ino and I will pick our teammates. Everybody line up! When your name is called you have to go behind the captain." When they did as she said, Kira turned to Ino, "Wanna do rock, paper, scissors on who goes first?" Ino nodded her head eagerly, ready to start.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" Ino held a rock and Kira a scissor, so Ino goes first.

"Yay! I get to go first! Sasuke!" He did so with a grimace on his face.

"Shikamaru." _Strategy_

"Sakura!"

"Chōji." _Strength_

"Hinata!"

"Kiba." _Speed_

"Daisuke!"

"Naruto." _Stamina_

The four S's.

They kept calling on names until each had approximately 11 members. Then Kira explained the game further, "There needs to be a goalkeeper on both sides. The goalkeeper prevents the opposite team from scoring a goal. They are also the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands. Strikers who score goals, defenders who prevent the opponents from scoring and midfielders who take the ball from the opposite team and pass it on to members of their team."

Kira went to Shino who read the rules on a piece of paper that Kira wrote them on, and handed him two cards she colored red and yellow.

"Players are cautioned when Shino shows the yellow card, but when he shows the red card you're out of the game. A foul is when a player commits an offence to the rules of the game. I listed the rules here." Kira waves the piece of paper that she hands to Ino, "Make sure your teammates know these and make up a strategy, my team will do the same. You have fifteen minutes before the game begins." As Ino crowded together her team, Kira went and huddled up hers.

"What's the plan, dattebayo?" Asked an eager Naruto, jumping in place.

Kira looked at Chōji, "Chōji, you'll be the goalkeeper."

"Me?" He pointed to himself.

Kira nodded and looked at Shikamaru, "Shikamaru, you will be one of the defenders."

He nodded, "Got it."

"Naruto, you and Kiba will be strikers on the left side."

"Yeah!" They both yelled, fisting their hands.

"You hear that boy? We're the frontal attack!" Akamaru yipped at his partner.

As Kira kept giving instruction to everyone, Shikamaru noticed something, "Hey, what position will you play?"

"I'll be in front with Naruto and Kiba." She held out her hand. "That way I can give you hand signals behind my back, if I want you to change the formation. For example if I show you the numbers 4-4-2 I want there to be four defenders, four midfielders and two forwards. I'll show you the rest."

She went on explaining until they heard Shino blow a whistle that Kira had also provided him with.

"Fifteen minutes are over! We will now begin!"

"Let's win this!" Kiba shouted, holding out his hand. Kira was confused at the gesture, until she saw everyone piling their hands on top of each other's.

"Come on, captain!" Kiba urged her, making Kira realize they were all waiting on her to put her hand on top of theirs. She did so, after much urging from the others.

"One! Two! Three! Ganbatte!" Everyone except Kira shouted. It's not like they did this back home.

"Everybody remember their position?" When she got ten nods, she turned to go to the middle of the field with Ino. Shino threw the ball in the air and when it landed Kira caught it and kicked it to Kiba, who was the closest, who in turn ran to the goal but was cornered by Ino's team.

"Over here!" Hearing Naruto's yell, Kiba kicked the ball over to him, managing to avoid the others. Now in was Naruto who ran with the ball, until Sasuke stole it by kicking the ball from him. "Teme!" Naruto yelled as he stumbled and fell. "Don't get distracted!" Kira yelled to him. She herself went to intercept Sasuke when she saw him go past all of her strikers. He was really good at the game. But Kira had something he didn't; experience. She ran over to him, once he saw her he suddenly froze up again, making Kira take advantage of it and slid his legs form under him, taking the ball. She kicked the ball over to some student she didn't know but was on her team, who in turn kicked it to Kiba, who ran with it to the goal guarded by Sakura. He took a moment to collect himself before kicking it and making a goal. The team went wild.

The game went on like this,-it would be gone even better if it weren't for Naruto and Sasuke constantly squabbling and fighting, causing them to make foul moves- even when the dismissing bell rang. Nobody even noticed it. Even Kira, who only noticed it when Itachi came to pick up his little brother. When Kira noticed him, she signaled for Shino to paus the game. "Sasuke!" She called for him and pointed to his brother. Sasuke looked to her and when he saw his nii-san, ran to take his bag before running up to his brother.

Itachi looked around the kids, "Where's your sensei?"

Sasuke answered as he strode up to him, "They had to go take care of something. Iruka pointed me in charge in the meantime."

"Is that so?" Itachi looked at the make-shift soccer field once more, "It looks like you're having fun." He observed.

Sasuke nodded vigorously as they took their leave and started talking all about it.

Kira watched them go, staring at the Uchiha clan symbols on their backs, before running back to the game.

* * *

Thinking back to it now, Kira found that it may not have been her finer moments. For it landed her in the predicament she is now; in front of the Hokage AND his advisors.

 _Gulp_

"Kira," The Hokage smiled. "Have a seat."

She looked at the Elders warily as she slowly walked towards the appointed seat, their eyes were following her every move. She sat tensely, which they noticed of course, but didn't comment on.

"Kira," The Hokage started, "The Elders and I have requested your presence to discuss your lifestyle choices. Primarily your choice in career."

She went as tense as a board.

"Now I know that you've made your distaste for the shinobi lifestyle quite clear, but I and the Elders would like for your to reconsider your career. It has come to my attention that you have above average intelligence, you've performed marvelously in your chakra training, both in the physical and mental portion of it. All in all you're quite extraordinary." He picked up a paper on his desk. "People such as Umino Iruka, Nara Shikaku, Might Guy and Uchiha Shisui have also been requested to give their opinion on the matter and all have agreed that adding you in our ranks would be-"

"Most beneficial to the village," Danzō took over for Hiruzen. "We feel your talents are being wasted in your current civilian lifestyle choice. Additionally, Konoha has been having problems with other villages. We fear that another war might break out, so we're recruiting all the promising shinobi-"

"And we would like for you to transfer over to the shinobi section and become one of our kunoichi. But the decision is yours." Hiruzen glared at his long-time friend. Truth be told he didn't even want him to be here. The old war hawk had invited himself.

Kira looked at the Hokage in disbelief. _You can't just put a boatload of pressure and then just say 'No pressure'!_

"But you do want what's best for the village, don't you?" Asked Danzō, boring his eyes into her soul.

She looked into the Hokage's eyes pleadingly. Hiruzen knew how much she despised this, but if he couldn't give the Elders an excusable reason not to recruit her, then nothing was stopping them.

Oh, shimatta.

* * *

And that's how Kira found herself in front of these students. No doubt the Hokage tried to smooth things over for her by having Iruka as her homeroom teacher.

 _They want me to be a shinobi? Fine! I'd have to reach_ _Chūnin and then I'll have them off my back. If I stay just under the raidar then I can leave this place and go on my own. I can't leave until I reach at least_ _Chūnin. The good thing about the rank is that you can leave your genin team if you were to acquire it. Maybe I could sign myself up for guard duty and then I'll slip away in the middle of the night._

 _Though, with ninja techinuques, there are various secrets particular to certain villages. Because of this, once a shinobi graduates, he must live his life in that village. Not only is joining another village forbidden, but it is also not allowed to leave one's village. Those who break those rules are concidered nukenin. They are sometimes executed if discovered. This is in order to prevent jutsu developed by one village from being leaked to another. Kirigakure is particularly paranoid about this, seeing as they have large number of oinin in their ranks._

 _Konohagakure is -comparetively speaking- not that concerned about runaway ninja. Seeing as Tsunade and Shizune walk freely. Additionally there was little done to pursue Sasuke when he deflected._

 _Which means that fortunately for me, Konoha is far more lenient to runaways._

 _Then I won't have Danz_ _ō out for me either, by the time he decides-If he does- to recruit me, I'll be miles away and I can travel the world like I've always wanted to. I could sell my photographs and it's not like anyone would miss me. I barely know anyone here besides Iruka. Maybe it's time to distance myself and move back to my apartment._

Surprisingly, she didn't feel a pang in her chest like she expected.

And so, she devised a plan to get this over with as soon as possible. As she took a seat next to Shino her mind was reeling. _Shikaku, Guy and Shisui are all_ _Jōnin, which means they're powerful, which means they are also the ones who can help me._

 _Villages, clans, comrades…they're nothing but burdens._

* * *

Shisui was the easiest to find of the three, since he basically told me where he was at what time himself.

I showed up at the training ground but couldn't find him until he shunshined in front of me, wearing a wide grin, "Well, well, what brings you here?"

"I want you to train me in shurikenjutsu and genjustu." I didn't waste time beating around the bush.

I only got a smirk in response. "And what makes you think I'll take you on as a student?"

"I thought you told me you'd help."

"In shurikenjutsu. Not genjutsu."

Kira stared disbelievingly, "Well, what do you want?"

She only got a smirk in response.

* * *

Might Guy was probably the most compliable of the three.

"You want me to train you in taijutsu?" He asked surprised as he balanced on a fence with his arms. He thought about it for a second before he grinned and jumped in front of her with a thumbs up, "Yosh! I shall help youthful Kira become even more youthful!" He cried for all to hear.

I nodded with a satisfied smile.

One more to go.

* * *

Shikaku was the nosiest.

"Maah…You want me to train you?" Shikaku puffed out his smoke as he looked down at me.

"Only in strategy," I wrinkled my nose at the foul smell.

"And what do I get out of it."

"A shogi partner."

He assessed her, "Where did this come so suddenly?"

I did miss a beat, "I want to graduate from the Academy in a year. To do so I need to train with the best."

He chuckled, "How flattering." He stubbed out his smoke. "Alright, but I won't be here all the time. I have other duties as troublesome as it is. I'll ask Ensui to fill in for me." He didn't ask how she came to be in the shinobi section. He knew from the moment Danzō approached him on the subject and felt a little bad for putting her in this mess, but orders are orders even if they come from that slime-ball.

* * *

But my fourth sensei was the craziest.

I hadn't even thought about him until I noticed him through a window at the dango shop. When I laid my eyes on him, I all but rushed into the shop.

He paused mid bite when he saw me rush through the door to him. "You're perfect." Was the first thing that came to my mind.

He arched his eyebrows, "Excuse you?"

I shook my head, "I mean, I want you to train me. In interrogation and information gathering."

He slowly put his dango back on his plate on turned his full attention to her, "You do realize what you're asking me, little girl?"

"Yes." I stated firmly. I knew he was a sadist, but if Kisame would murder his own comrades to avoid information being leaked, then he was the best of the best.

He grinned sharply at her, enjoying her spunk, "Then welcome to your personal nightmare."

Kira chocked on her spit. She expected him to refuse, or at least not accept her so easily. Something is clearly up.

* * *

And so the torture began.

"We'll start from the bottom; interrogating genins. Usually to get information we use psychological abuse rather than physical torture. By attacking a person's mind, youcan gain control over any individual."

"And other times?"

His eyes glinted, "A simple hell-viewing genjutsu and they sing like canaries."

* * *

"What are these?" I asked as Guy strapped on some sort of heavy weight like things on my legs.

"YOSH! These will help you get more youthful faster! Tell me when you get use to their weight so that we can increase their weight!" He gave a sparkly grin and wink, "Now I want you to run 100 laps around Konoha and then 50 push- ups and 50 sit-ups!" He heard me groan in response.

What he didn't expect was for me to fall down from the added weight on my first step.

He sweat-dropped when he heard me curse.

* * *

"This is tsumeshogi."

"What do I need to do?"

"I'll create a problem for you, you solve it. Simple."

* * *

"How do you sort out the liars?"

Ibiki smirked, expecting that question for a long time, "Try to assess how the person normally speaks by asking simple questions e.g 'What's your name?' Then start asking questions you don't know. Watch them very closely if their manner or chakra shifts then you'll know.

Chūnin are a trickier case, but not impossible. They usually have an answer to everything. However from a psychological view when you ask a person to recollect something they pause and think about it. So when they sound rehearsed, it's a sure giveaway."

"And Jōnin?"

"Oh there's no question. Those bastards are always lying."

* * *

Shisui took out multiple kunai, "This is the most basic you should know when handling weapons. Sleight-of-hand."

He showed me his hand palm up without the kunai and turned it to show me that they were nowhere in sight. Then he slightly moved his fingers and there they were.

He handed me the kunai. "If we're done with this I want to teach you a move with shuriken, but it involves fire so we're going to learn Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu first."

I looked at him confused, "Why do you make it sound like it's a big deal?"

Shisui smiled softy at me, "The Uchiha clan uses this technique as a coming of age rite. When you complete this technique, you are acknowledged as an adult by the clan. I guess I'm a little excited to be the one to teach it you."

 _Who knew the great Shisui was such a dork?_ I thought _. In the series he always seemed like such a serious and respected man, when in reality…_

"Tch, whatever Uchiha-baka, go bald."

* * *

Pa-chink

…Pa-chink

Pa-chink

Pa-chink

Pa-chink

…Pa-chink

Pa-chink

"I win," Ensui stated nonchalantly. "You need to be more confident of your moves. Stop hesitating."

He got a sigh and a look in response.

* * *

"Um…Guy? Is this safe?" I asked from her current place, dangling from a cliff with Guy beside her.

"Of course my youthful student! In fact we should strive to go faster!" He sped up his climbing.

"Wait a second!" Was my panicked call as the only person that could stop me from freefalling to my untimely death was getting out of sight.

He laughed, and unhelpfully added, "Just don't let go!"

"Why the hell would I let go?!"

* * *

In between her training she attended the Academy of course. She soaked up all the knowledge like a dry sponge and during recess challenged an all too willing Shikamaru to a shogi game. Recently her victory count has become larger, irritating the young heir who knew that she was training with his father.

Naruto also sought her out ever since he found out that his friend is in the same class as him, but Kira didn't have the time nor energy to deal with him so he was for the most part ignored. She tried to make it up to him by explaining the lesson when he didn't get it but she could tell he was hurt by her.

She sighed at him and shrugged mentally. He'll get over it.

Eventually she didn't even have the energy or time to even attend the school. Finally, with Shisui's prompting that it was okay, he taught her the shadow clone technique –after the standard clone failed multiple times and because teachers would notice- and sent the clone to attend class for her while she trained with Shisui. The only one who wouldn't question why she wasn't in class during the day. Besides, it's not like I'm ditching, some part of me will just be training and the other studying. It's the perfect balance between yin and yang.

A normal clone is only an image of one's body. But a Kage bunshin has flesh and blood, and their own mind, which means, they can act independently. Now usually this would be concidered a Forbidden jutsu, because it involves large quanteties of chakra and because it is possible to turn your own clones againts you using genjustu, but since Kira had an extra source of power i.e The Kyuubi's chakra, it allows her to perform this jutsu adequately.

The only one to notice it was Shikamaru, who shrugged and did nothing.

* * *

Shisui took me to a lake that was a little too close to the Uchiha clan to my liking. I'm not ashamed to admit that he took me kicking and screaming. But he got it done so I applaud him.

"Knead the chakra in your body and convert it into fire. Build it inside from your stomach and release it through your mouth."Shisui explained the technique to me.

I eyed him skeptically, "What if I burn my mouth?"

"Why would you burn your mouth, Ra-chan?"

I shook my head, "Forget it. How do I convert my chakra into fire?"

Shisui tried to think of a best way to explain it, "Close your eyes and imagine the fire inside. Imagine it building up trying to break free from your mouth as you release it. Now watch carefully these are the hands signs. Snake → Ram → Monkey → Boar → Horse → Tiger."

* * *

"When gathering information, the most important part is to get the correct information. Incorrect information might very well be the thing that could destroy a village or be the cause of a comrade's death. Information can be the most powerful weapon in your hands." Ibiki glared making sure his teaching went through her head.

I whole-heartedly agreed.

 _If that's true, then I might be the most dominant weapon Konoha will ever have_. I smirked when Ibiki had his back turned.

* * *

My eyes widened when I saw multiple shuriken headed towards me at high speed, thrown by Guy-sensei.

"Wow! W-Wait a minute Guy-sensei!" I yelled nervously as I dodged them to the best of my ability. "Can't we talk about this?! Itai!" A shuriken managed to fly past me, grazing my shoulder. Clutching it, I gritted my teeth and glared at him, "You can't expect me to dodge them when you're going that fast! I can barely even see them!"

"It is not about seeing. It's about feeling. We're building anticipation," Guy-sensei lectured me as he took another set of shuriken in his hands, "Calm yourself. Slow them down in your mind." He threw them.

"Ahck!" I exclaimed as I tried to dodge the deathly throws, but I couldn't dodge the last three, so I kawarimid out of the way.

"FOCUS!"

"DO I GET TO THROW KNIVES AT YOU NOW?!"

* * *

It was a weekend when Shisui took me to the Naka shrine.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"It's the Naka shrine," He began explaining, "I thought it would be a good idea to train in a different environment. Now you don't have the luxury of a large space." He glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

"At a shrine? Isn't this a sacred place dedicated to some deity?"

"Well, yeah. I guess."

"I see."

Suddenly Shisui saw her put her hands together in a prayer.

"God, please let him go bald instantly."

" **Don't say that in here!"**

* * *

"You're going to lose in 16 moves." Shikaku deducted.

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"By counting the number of moves until checkmate, for both sides, will help you decide whether to attack or defend."

An amused smile came over Shikaku's face as he saw a thoughtful look come over his new favourite shogi partner's face.

* * *

Ibiki and I were currently in a private training ground. Ibiki didn't say anything, just took a seat on the ground opposite of me.

Seeing this, I copied him and watched as he closed his eyes. Is he meditating?

"Ibiki-sensei?... Why are we meditating?"

He grunted a reply, "We are not meditating. You're learning how to organize and protect your mind. The mind is a delicate and complex thing," Ibiki opened his eyes, "And you _will_ learn to defend it!"

I nodded in understanding. This could be useful.

And what continued in the next few hours;

"Suppress your thoughts! Think as if a shield is standing between your mind and the unknown! Be completely blank! No emotion! Those are for the weak!"

"Hai!"

* * *

"Genjutsu is an illusionary technique, created with the purpose of attacking a person cerebral nervous system, consequently affecting their five senses. Those who do get caught will either fall unconscious or keep moving while still under the pretense of being in the genjutsu."

I nodded when Shisui glanced at me to see if I grasped the concept. _So it's like brainwashing?_

"To make a successful genjutsu one must be extremely adequate with chakra control and intelligent enough to make it convincing. Fortunately you possess both of those attributes." He ruffled my hair. "Of course it also helps to possess the sharingan, which is invulnerable to genjutsu because it allows us to recognize it being influenced on us. But you'll get yours in due time." He smiled.

"Yay…"

"So for now I'll teach you a simple C-Rank."

* * *

And that's pretty much how I've been spending my year, well 11 months, but who's counting. Only a few more weeks until the graduation test. At the Academy I instructed my clone to not be at the very top of the class, but a close second is acceptable. I never could quite lower my shackles after meeting Danzō. That man is very… impressionable.

But there was one thing that still needed to be done.

It was a rainy night when I made dinner for Iruka. I sometimes cooked for him when I saw how exhausted he was from working. Something Iruka immensely appreciated 'cause Kami knows he can't cook a full meal to save his life. Though he did find the pancakes to be very strange, until he tasted them.

But this was a special occasion, so I needed him in a good mood, so I made him some Italian pasta with mixing and replacing some of the ingredients that are unavailable here.

"Tadaima!" I heard Iruka yell from the front door.

"Okaeri!" I yelled back, if only to humor him.

I heard his light footsteps make their way into the kitchen, "Something smells good." He commented.

"It's almost done." I said, putting the lid on the pan.

Iruka grinned, "Good, 'cause I'm starving." He took a seat at the table. "Did you enjoy today's history lesson?" He asked.

I stilled, "Uh, yeah, the uh…" I tried to be convincing. What did that clone learn today?

"The Second Great Shinobi War?"

"Yeah! It was…something, the uh, Nidaime was amazing." Clearing my throat, Ichanged the subject quickly, "So anyway," I spoke up, as I put some pasta on his plate, "I've been thinkin-"

"Oh! This tastes so good. How do you make these dishes? Honestly, I've never even heard of them."

"Eto…just something I'm experimenting on." I scratched the back of my head.

Iruka grinned, "Well you can experiment on me any time you like if they taste as great as this."

I went silent.

"Iruka." I started, "I know what you're trying to do. It's not going to work." I watched as Iruka forced the grin to stay on his face.

"What do you mean? I'm not trying to do anything." He tried to play dumb.

I sighed, "Iruka."

Iruka sported a glum look on his face, "I guess I can't really keep you here safe with me forever, huh."

"Iruka, if I ever want to be independent I have to learn how to survive by myself. If I'm going to be a ninja I can't keep expecting to lean on you for support. Besides it's not like I'm leaving the village or something. Just down the street. And I know that if I'll ever need anything, I'll know where to find you." _I hate lying to him but it's for the best. I can't get attached._

Iruka let a soft smile on his face before bringing me into a hug, "When did you grow up?"

"When did you grow old?" I heard him chuckle as he put his chin on top of my head.

* * *

"The Exam is only two weeks away." I said to Shisui who was putting a blindfold in front of my eyes. "I need to give it my all."

Shisui hummed, "Is that so? Well, you've improved greatly if I do say so myself." He handed me some kunai.

"But now it's time to put what you've learned to the test."

He jumped away from the clearing for safety. He had set all sorts of dummies and targets all through the clearing, so I was 'surrounded' 360 degrees.

I took a calming breath and felt around with my chakra. Shisui would at random times throw weapons at me, be it kunai, shuriken or rocks.

I ran and jumped up, throwing three kunai at a dummie in the vital spots. I heard the faint sound of a kunai approaching. I caught one of them, using it to deflect the others. "Not bad," a comment above me.

I threw a shuriken in his direction but heard him shunshin away at the right moment.

I couldn't sense him anymore, nor hear him up until I felt a kunai pressed to my neck, "You can't beat me just yet."

He untied my blindfold and smiled, "But then again I'm awesome and you're barely out of the Academy." He teased. He seemed to be doing that a lot.

I rolled my eyes, "Don't get cocky, baldy." So did I though.

Shisui smirked at me, "Well, if you keep training like that, maybe I won't."

"How would you categorize my skill level?"

"Honestly? Low Chūnin," I couldn't help but smirk, which he noticed and flicked my nose, "But only if you keep training like you do now."

"Ow! Urgh," I rubbed my nose while he messed up my hair. I batted his hand away, "Get bald already, Shisui-baka."

* * *

And so I slowly started to close up my training with everyone.

"Today's your lucky day squirt."

"How so?" I raised my eyebrow at him.

He grinned, sharp teeth and all, "Just got a nice Chūnin for ya," Ibiki led the way into a cell where a man with a rough complexion and dead eyes sneered at me when he saw me, "What are you gonna do? Bore me to death?"

I narrowed my eyes dangerously and cracked my knuckles, "Give me five minutes."

 _On the other side of double- side glass, 3 minutes into interrogation_

"… You've created a monster, Ibiki." Observed Inoichi with a sweatdrop as he saw Kira yell at him as she slammed her hands on the table and bunch her fist into the Chūnin's shirt as the latter cowered.

Ibiki cackled in proud glee.

He'd rather die than admit it, but the midget had grown on him, so when they took the Chūnin to the high-facility prison, he gave her a fond pat on the back.

* * *

 _Pa-chink_

 _Pa-chink_

 _Pa-chink_

I looked up from the board at Shikaku, "I win." _My first win_.

Shikaku frowned at the board before chuckling at my remark, "So you did." He smirked.

He stood up with a grunt, motioning for me to do the same, and congratulated me, "Now when you're out there, by the time the enemy makes his opening move you'll have him figured out to the point in which direction he'll go crying for his Okaa-san."

We laughed lightly. "Thank you for…everything."

Shikaku ruffled my hair, "Hey now, it's not like you'll be going anywhere. We can still have a match every now and then, when we're both not busy."

Despite myself I smiled and nodded, "You're right."

 _You're wrong_.

* * *

I was on top of a pole in the middle on Konoha, on a handstand.

Slowly I took my left arm away and balanced all of my weight on my one hand. For safety's sake, I had my eyes closed.

"That takes a lot of concentration."

"Yeah, it's even better when one does not have a reason to brake said concentration."

Hearing a low, masculine chuckle I looked up from my position to see Itachi on a different pole across from mine, overlooking the Academy.

He smiled over to me, while I kept a blank face. _No emotion._

He still kept smiling, "I hear you're taking the graduation exam. A little early, don't you think? Then again, I was your age when I graduated too."

"Well, technically I'll be eight pretty soon, and I haven't graduated yet." I grunted as I pulled myself to crouch on the pole and looked at him carefully. "Why are you here?"

He nodded towards the Academy, "I'm waiting for my little brother." He looked over to her, "You've left quite an impression on him, especially after a game you played."

"Ah, Sasuke?" He nodded, "Sasuke was a pretty good player. His target practice is great and he was a good player too. Shame I didn't have him on my team."

Itachi smiled at her for praising Sasuke, "Ah, he's been trying to teach me the game ever since. Sakkaru was it?"

I nodded.

Everything was silent for a while until Itachi broke it, "Kira-chan?"

I raised an eyebrow in question. _Already comfortable enough to call me familiarly?_

Itachi continued his question, "What do you think about war?"

"About war?"

Itachi nodded firmly, "About life and death."

I scratched my head, "That's a tough topic. Considering I don't know anything about war."

"I just thought that since you've lost so much because of war. Your family for instance."

"You can't lose something you didn't have in the first place," I said coldly back. Itachi was unfazed, still expecting an answer.

I sighed and brushed a hand through my hair. It was getting longer.

I looked up at the clouds, "Life and death," I chuckle, "Logically when asked that, you would say: Life is good and Death is bad, but I've never lived Life to the fullest, so how do I know it's good? Nor have I truly experienced Death, so how do I know it's bad?"

"War is…a game, played by children. Everyone thinks that they are right, so how do we know who's right and who's wrong? We don't. But everyone thinks that they do, which is why they have a childish view of right and wrong. They think they're God and can play at divine retribution. We all think we fight to be free, but who can be free when every one of us is dead? In the end, it doesn't determine who's right, only those who are left. And when all is said and done…everything will just seem so…stupid, so childish."

A surprised look flashed across Itachi's eyes.

"What's even worse is that these wars continue to happen because they just won't let go of the past. They're stuck in it and so they can't be hopeful for the future anymore."

I looked over to see him staring at me in close to wonderment and something else. "I don't know if that was the answer you were looking for, but it's the best I've got."

Itachi snapped out of it and nodded his head, "Thank you, it was more than enough."

I stood up from my crouch and stretched my back, "Well if that's all I should get going, Guy-sensei's waiting for me. Ja ne." I waved, then kawarimi'd away.

Itachi stood there contemplating her words. _Kira…you truly are extraordinary_.

* * *

"That's right Kira-chan! Good job!" Guy-sensei called, purposely trying to distract me from my current position on a tightrope. Not walking across it, but doing katas in the middle of it, while in between two cliffs, so if I did one wrong back-flip or stance, I would surely fall to my doom.

I decided to go for it and back-flipped into a handstand and walking back to Guy-sensei on my hands. He was proud.

"Yosh!" He fist-pumped the air as he hugged me to his side roughly, "This is it my little flower! What we've been training for! Aren't I cool?!"

I crookedly smiled at him, "The coolest."

Guy laughed a booming laugh. I don't care what Naruto or anyone says, Guy is pretty cool, to some extent.

* * *

I woke up one day, still in Iruka's apartment. Iruka was, for the better word, sentimental, so we agreed that I would move later today. Which is coincidentally the graduation exam day. Also, he said that if I pass, he'll treat me to ramen. For 'motivation' he had said.

"So this is it, huh?" Shisui mused as he appeared next to me on my way to the Academy.

I looked up at him, "You don't have to come you know."

"I know," He smiled, "But I wanted to."

When we arrived at the Academy, Shisui turned to me, "Ganbatte." And held up a fist.

I rolled my eyes, _dork_ , but pumped my fist with his. He shunshined away when I went up to the door. I looked around realizing something, _this is probably only the third time I've actually been here._ I mused.

 _Alright, Iruka said it was class 201_. Going up to the second floor, I saw a bunch of kids waiting outside. _This must be it_.

I leaned against the wall, crossed my arms and closed my eyes. Though not a second passed when I heard, "Hey kid! Go back to class! An important exam is about to take place!" I opened one eye to see a boy very much older than me glaring down at me.

"Ano, I know. That's why I'm here."

"But you're a kid!"

I gave a bored look, "Yes. Your point?"

He scowled, "Don't get sassy with me! Or I'll beat you bloody, got tha-!"

"OI! What's going on?!" We heard when the classroom door opened. Looking up I saw that it was Iruka who had spoken. "Kyo, are you causing trouble again?" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

The one presumably named Kyo straightened up, "No, I'm not."

"Yes you were!" A random girl yelled.

"No, I wasn't!"

Iruka got fed up so he yelled, "Knock it off! The exam is about to start, so move it!" He held the door open for everyone.

When everyone got inside, there were paper sheets on all of the desks, "Everyone take a seat!"

And like always, I took the seat at the back.

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen once again watched today's exam takers from the crystal ball. He had his arms folded underneath his chin as the ball focused on the little black-red haired non-Uchiha girl.

Standing a few feet away from him was Kakashi, in all his ANBU glory, "Lord Third?"

The Third didn't acknowledge him for a few minutes, until he closed his eyes, breathed in and opened them again, "There can be no one else, Kakashi."

"Sir, I can't-"

"Yes you can," Hiruzen insisted, "This irrational fear you have, Kakashi is ridiculous and you know it. You are hereby relieved from ANBU. That does not mean, you won't be assigned S-rank missions with Itachi, but until further notice you will be instated to Jōnin-sensei."

Kakashi didn't know what to say. He couldn't say decline an order, but…

"How do you expect me to even look at her, when all I see is Obito?"

How could he face his failure? What if something happened? What if he couldn't get to her in time and she dies? Just like her brother. Just like Rin. He didn't earn the reputation of 'Friend-killer Kakashi' for nothing. How was he supposed to look after a child, regardless of her being a protégé or not? He was fine with watching her from the shadows.

"It's because of that, that I know you'll keep her safe. Kakashi, ever since that faithful day you've done everything in your power to keep your comrades safe, to keep the village safe. So **I know** that you'll keep her safe as well. You've fought long and hard, Kakashi. Let me help you."

Kakashi stepped forward and looked at the Crystal-ball, where he could see little Kira scribbling away.

Kakashi felt light-headed for a second.

"Besides," He heard The Third speak up, "That's what sensei are for. So that they can teach them to survive. She is, after all, just starting to become a ninja."

He slid her file across the table for Kakashi. He picked it up and flicked through it.

"She was apprenticed to four Jōnin? One of which is Ibiki and my self-proclaimed rival?"

The Hokage chuckled, "It seems Kira is more cunning than I had originally thought." He turned serious again, "The reason I had you watch her in the first place was not only because of your abilities but because I wanted you to become her teacher from the beginning."

Kakashi was silent as he looked at the Academy photograph of Kira. It was taken two years ago. Kakashi smiled when he saw the glare on her face.

"Hai, Hokage-Sama."

* * *

Kira was walking home –as in home, home- with a box full of her stuff after eating lunch with an overly-proud, teary Iruka after he found out she had passed the written portion with flying colors, they'll do the practical one tomorrow, which will either make or break her career. He wouldn't stop hugging her and honestly her lungs are glad for the break.

Taking the key to her apartment out of her pocket, she heard a click as it opened and out the box down.

She was about to enter when a spicky blonde full of hair ran full speed up the steps next to her.

Kira blinked, "Naruto?" She watched as tears started to gather at the corners of his eyes, as an angry expression came over him.

"Eto…" She tried to think of something to say as the orange boy panted from the run.

 _Iruka scratched the back of his head as he tried to find the right word to explain the concept of greeting one another, "Well when coming home one says 'Tadaima' to which the ones already in the house reply 'Okaeri'._

Thinking back to that she said, "…Okaeri?" It sounded more like a question but it seems that in stopped Naruto dead in his tracks.

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard that word. How he longed to hear that. Damn it! How can he be angry at her when she says stuff like that?

"Ano, I made this for you," He heard her say. His eyes widened as she held out a carved wooden toad. "I'm not an expert but I thought you'd like it since tomorrow's your Tanjōbi, right?" _Though I intended to give this to you last year..._

 _She remembered!_ His eyes teared up again as fat crocodile tears fell down his face and he leapt forward, catching her in a hug.

"Ahck! Naruto!" Not expecting the younger boy to do that she fell down, taking him with her. When a wet spot started to form on her shoulder and when she heard him sob quietly, she sighed and patted his head.

Still awkwardly padding Naruto's head, Kira heard rapid footsteps approaching. Jumping to action, she leapt to her feet and pushed a confused Naruto behind her while taking out a kunai.

Hearing a gasp behind her made her look back at Naruto's scared blue eyes and firmly say; "Stay behind me." She wasn't going to assure him that nothing will happen to them, so a silent promise is the best she could give. Besides she didn't want him to get in her way.

Sensing the shinobi's approach, Kira looked back in front of her. She was ready to strike at the right moment, when suddenly Naruto ran in front of her, two kunai in each hand. It startled her so badly she couldn't help but angrily yell at him, "You fool! What are you doing? Get outta here!"

But he didn't even move an inch. Instead he looked over his shoulder at her, and with a big smile declared, "Sorry. But I guess I'm too foolish to walk away from anyone who tries to take my joy."

Kira's eyes widened in shock and confusion.

By the time she snapped out of it, the footsteps had come to a stop in front of them. Both of them looked up to see a man wearing a green jacket and pants with a hat on his head with numbers 587-02 on it. His lips twitched upwards when his goggled gaze landed on Kira. "Ah! Are you Kira?"

"…Yeah." She said uncertainly. Sensing that he didn't have malicious intent, she put her kunai away, urging a bewildered Naruto to do the same. "And you are?"

With the same smile still on his face he said, "Hi! I am 587-02! I'm a courier ninja!" he said cheerfully.

Naruto scrunched up his nose, "A what? Who are you?!" he demanded, pointing a finger at him.

"A courier ninja! It is someone whose job is similar to that of a postman. The only difference is that courier ninja risk their lives to deliver mail by going through difficult paths to deliver mail to their customers! Most people hire us for our efficiency and squeaky clean record!"

Kira gave an intrigued look, "So you're here to deliver mail?"

The courier ninja gave a grin, Exactly!" He took an envelope out of his bad and held it out to her, but Kira didn't take it. Instead she eyed it skeptically, "Before you go, can I ask who sent you?"

"I was told not to disclose such information!" He said, with a tone of finality.

Kira sighed, she guessed as much. If someone went through the trouble of hiring a courier ninja…She took the envelope from his hands and watched as he gave a low bow and ran off into the sunset.

Naruto turned to look at her, "Ne, ne what's inside?" Eagerly wanting to know what could be so important that someone called a courier ninja instead of a regular postman.

Instead of answering him, Kira shrugged one shoulder and opened the envelope.

Inside of it wasn't a letter like they'd been expecting but instead there was what seemed to be a…check? Looking at it confusedly Kira took a closer look and saw that it indeed was a check with a lot of zeros after the first number.

Beside her Naruto gaped, "No way! I've never seen so many zero's in my life! Where did this come from?!"

Where indeed?

Still staring at the check Kira heard Naruto shuffling beside her. "Hey there's something else inside." He took a piece of paper out, "A note?"

"Well, what does it say?"

Naruto's face scrunched up at the kanji before he turned towards her sheepishly scratching the back of his head, "He, he well…I don't exactly know…"

Kira raised an eyebrow at him and deadpanned, "You don't know." She blinked before realizing, "Wait a minute, Naruto, are you illiterate?"

She got a confused look in return, "No, I just can't read kanji."

She facepalmed, "That's what illiterate means, Naruto."

"Oh." His face turned red from embarrassment.

She just sighed at him, "Remind me to teach you how to read kanji later."

Naruto seemed to brighten up at that, "Really?"

Nodding her head absent-mindedly she took the note from his hand as he fist-pumped the air in silent victory.

Looking over the note, she found just one weird sentence, written in neat handwriting;

 _You're my light, Kira_

* * *

 **EXTRA!**

* * *

 _Hokage's office_

"-and it was so awesome! You should've seen it Jiji, it was incredible! I think it's my new favourite game!" an excited Naruto retold the story of tonight's events to the Sandaime as he sat on his lap. The Hokage listened attentively and chuckled at some parts he knew to be quite exaggerated.

Oh, he had seen the quite extraordinary game through his crystal ball. And he had to agree, it was quite the game Kira had come up with for the class.

In fact this was one of the many tests he had set out for her. This particular one was made so that he could see how well she would perform were she ever found herself to be put under pressure of responsibility of a class of nearly twenty-five students, which is equivalent to nearly 6 platoons and how well she would set order amongst them.

This was definitely one of the harder tests that Hiruzen didn't expect her to even pass. But once again she has surprised him by proving him wrong.

"And this Kira? Is she a friend of yours?" Hiruzen asked Naruto curiously. And upon hearing her name he brightened up like a light, "Yeah! I mean…I think we are. She doesn't ignore me at least. She doesn't talk much though…But it's fine! I wish everyone would notice me though."

"You still seek everyone's attention?"

Naruto didn't really want to have this conversation so he tried to steer it away, "I just want to get to know her better. Isn't that what friends do?"

Hiruzen hummed in thought, choosing his words carefully before answering him, "I think you should let Kira be like she is. Even if it seems like she doesn't care, her actions say otherwise, do they not?"

Naruto put a finger on his chin in thought, "Well yeah, like today she helped me with my kunai in target practice. And when she called on me to be on her team. It made me really happy!" He smiled to himself, reminiscing today's events.

Chuckling the Hokage told him, "Then you shouldn't dwell on the negative people in your life but the people who bring you happiness and never let anyone steal it."

"It?"

"Your joy."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't know if you know this, but I don't own Naruto**

* * *

" _My silence is not weakness, but the beginning of revenge" – Unknown_

* * *

A Hitai-ate.

A metal plate on a band of cloth.

Yet it holds much more meaning than that.

They are a symbol of pride and loyalty towards one's village. Not wearing one is a sign of disrespect and heavily frowned upon.

Also, to have it removed is degrading and you are ultimately seen as unworthy of possessing it.

' _At least, that's what they said'_ I thought to myself as I stared down at mine. It rested on my lap as I was getting ready for the day. Getting ready to meet my _team_ and _sensei_.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, I stood up and walked in front of my mirror. _Where should I put it?_

Even though it's supposed to be a forehead protector, many shinobi wear them in various places; Guy wears his as a belt, Ibiki as a bandana, Hinata will wear hers around her neck, Sakura as a headband, Shikamaru on his shoulder, Kakashi as an eyepatch.

Even colors. Navy blue is the most common, but characters have also changed them; Naruto's changed from Navy Blue to black in Shippuden, Guy and Rock lee's are red and Sakura and Chōji also changed theirs to red, Ino had purple, etc.

Letting out an annoyed scoff, I finally decided to just wear it on my forehead and be done with it. Maybe I'll change it later.

Securing it around my forehead, I met the eyes of my reflection.

Let's get this over with.

* * *

With my kind of 'luck', I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

No team _and_ my sensei is missing.

After I had my ninja registration photo taken, I had been told that I needed to head down to training ground 4 and wait for my sensei there.

But for the last hour, it's been just me, myself and I.

Which could only mean _one_ thing…

Groaning lightly, I ran a hand through my hair and stood up from the tree stump I had been sitting on, and started some of Guy's katas. Might as well be productive with my time.

Since the sun was annoyingly glaring down into my eyes, I decided to close them. Putting my legs in their proper position, I moved.

 _Right step, left arm – under punch, left step, right arm – over punch, kick, left step, both arms – push, throw thre- No! four shuriken, front flip, right step, pun-!_

My eyes widened in shock as I gasped lightly in surprise when I felt an arm wrapping around my fist, deflecting my punch.

I quickly jumped backwards before realizing that the hand belonged to none other than the Copy-Nin himself, Sharingan no Kakashi.

Unfazed by my reaction, he raised one of his hands in greeting.

"Yo."

I assessed him warily. _What if he's in his Cold-Blooded Kakashi stage in life?_ I gave him a once-over. _Slouched, hands in his pockets, half-asleep eyes. Doesn't seem all that different from when I've met him before, but still,_ I narrowed my eyes at him harshly _, don't be fooled, keep your guard up, don't forget what Ibiki-sensei taught you, lead_ _ **him**_ _into a false sense of security._

Straightening my back, I forced myself to relax, "Hajimemashite, sensei." I nodded at him.

He hummed in acknowledgement and looked me up and down lazily.

I expected him to say something, like instructions to a test or something, but he kept silent for a moment, just staring into my eyes. It was extremely uncomfortable, but I willed myself to keep eye contact.

"You're not normal, are you?"

I blinked at his musing.

Expect the unexpected, I guess.

"We're ninja," I pointed out, "Nothing about our lives has ever been _normal_."

"Hmm…True." He walked over to a huge rock, where he perched himself on top of it. Gesturing for me to come forward, I hesitantly did and took a seat in the grass, crossing my legs.

"Maa, so why don't we introduce ourselves?" I expected that at least.

"My name's Kira." _Don't mention anything he can use against you,_ "I like...tinkering with stuff, I dislike…when things don't work out for me. My hobbies are reading and cooking, and my dream is…achievable."

He gave a low hum, before he smiled, "My name's Kakashi Hatake. My hobbies also include reading. I like salt-broiled saury and miso soup with eggplant. I dislike anything fried and sweet." _Is he hinting at something?_ He looked up at the sky, "My dream…hmm…haven't really thought about it."

He looked down at me, "Now, the reason you don't have a team is because you graduated far earlier than is required and a team is supposed to start out as a four-man squad…And because I can't tolerate anybody else. Therefore you are my _apprentice_. You have the potential to be a great shinobi, so teaching you _shouldn't_ be much trouble. I won't be able to go on missions or train with you all the time, but as far as training goes, I'll trust you can take care of yourself when I'm not here to assist you. As for missions, you will start off as any other genin and take D-rank missions. I'll request harder ones when _I_ say you are able to. Any questions? No? Good. I'll see you here again tomorrow morning at 0800 hours. Ja ne." He poofed away.

Should've known it was a shadow clone.

* * *

Tomorrow saw me waiting for my sensei at least an hour and a half longer than what was agreed on, again.

 _It's like he's testing my patience_ , I grumbled to myself, then paused.

He probably is.

But that didn't mean that I was just lying around doing nothing. Oh, no. I had _plenty_ of training that was left unfinished, even after I had graduated.

Today I was practicing some of Shisui's shurikenjutsu when Kakashi finally decided to show up, on top of the tree branch I was throwing kunai in the shape of a little star, "Ohayo, sorry I was late, you wouldn't _believe_ the traffic."

Although I was mildly annoyed on the inside, I placed a mask of calmness on and turned to my sensei, "Ohayo, sensei."

Raising an eyebrow at his student's politeness, Kakashi flashed in front of her and help up his fingers in a universal shinobi beginning of a spar sign.

"Let's fight."

Only slightly taken off guard, I nodded hesitantly in agreement and held up my fingers as well.

We both waited patiently as a redish-yellow leaf softly fell to the ground. And then it began.

* * *

' _What incredible Taijutsu. Especially for her age._ ' Kakashi thought, dodging an elbow to the ribs.

Her reflexes are not bad either, but there's always room for improvement. 'She also doesn't lack analytical skills,' Kakashi noticed. Before the spar even began, she was sizing him up. Trying to subtly look at his stance, body language and measure distances, but it didn't leave Kakashi's notice.

He knew what she was doing.

And he was impressed.

Kira had been first to attack, but she didn't leave herself open for a counter attack, which is smart. Kakashi could pick out moves that were definitely Guy's.

Furthermore, she doesn't seem bothered by the height difference. Keeping a low stance to make it harder to hit her or take her off her feet.

Her defensive guard is nothing to sniff at either – shoulders loose and elbows protecting the ribs.

However, Kira seems to always close her eyes when Kakashi went for a punch near the face, almost instinctively.

' _Hm, we'll have to fix that_ ,' Kakashi grabbed her leg, stopping her from completing a roundhouse kick to his head, and threw her across the field. Kira grunted in pain as rolled on the ground before stopping herself. Panting, she wiped some dirt from the corner of her mouth as she kept her eyes on him.

Suddenly, she turned and ran into the forest. Kakashi smirked, but followed, curious as to what plan she formed in her head. He took to the trees, watching the ground for any sign of redish-black head of hair.

That turned out to be a grave mistake.

Ten kunai were thrown from above. Kakashi's eye widened as he hastily dodged, just missing the kunai that ripped his shirt from the shoulder. He landed on a nearby tree and looked around.

' _There!_ ' His mind screamed as he spotted her a few feet away. He saw her doing some hand-signs. He noticed the way she did them was awkward and slow for a genin. That'll need some fixing as well. But what completely threw him off were the hand-signs of Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu.

That's when he noticed shinobi wire going straight towards him, held by a kunai with an explosive tag.

Seeing the fire rushing to him along the wire, Kakashi shunshin'ed away just in time.

However what perplexed him was that he didn't hear an explosion. In fact, he didn't hear the wind wither, nor did he feel the breeze that usually accompanies autumn weather.

'Genjutsu?' Kakashi wondered. He put his fingers together in a seal, 'Kai!'

All of a sudden his surroundings changed and he found himself on top of a rock in the middle of the river that runs through the training ground. He looked around, debating whether or not use Obito's sharingan. The girl's got skills. Then, a barrage of kunai flew towards him, which he successfully evaded. He looked towards where they came from and out of the corner of his eye, noticed shuffling amongst the top parts of the tree branches.

' _So that's where she's been hiding.'_ Kakashi decided to end their little spar.

He flickered towards her direction, and when he reached her, he threw some kunai down at her. She wasn't fast enough to dodge them, and for a second Kakashi's heart stopped beating. But then he saw her poof away, revealing that it had been a clone.

Relief washed through him. He smirked ' _That little…_ ' he shook his head and looked up, "Alright, enough is enough, my little apprentice."

Kakashi shunshin'ed behind the real her, who froze, and held a kunai to her neck.

Kira's eyes widened, she looked up at her sensei, "But…"

Kakashi chuckled, "Don't forget that I'm still years ahead in experience. Some of your moves were easily predictable, that includes your hiding place."

Kira frowned but accepted her defeat.

Kakashi smirked and patted her head, "Chin up, Kira. You are obviously very talented in the shinobi arts. And I see lots and lots of work ahead of us," He put a hand on her shoulder and leaned down, "But I also see lots of promise." He smiled with his lone eye closed.

Kira kept her face blank, but Kakashi saw a hint of a smile forming on her lips.

' _Now that won't do_.' Kakashi smiled at her, "Now, ready for round two?"

She jumped, her hand going to her back, drawing a nodachi from its sheath.

* * *

The first few weeks involved nothing but training and building up our teamwork. That means that I had to work my moves around Kakashi and vice versa. Since our styles differ from each other, it took some time, but we got it done.

Training also involved push-ups, sometimes with Kakashi on my back and me on Kakashi's back (you can already guess who had it easier), crunches with buckets of water on each arm, If so much as a drop of water escaped the bucket Kakashi threw a shuriken, which brings me to the next step; evading, jogging around Konoha (even if it rains), weapon use, sparring, occasionally going cliff-climbing like I did with Guy, only Kakashi always feels the need to show off and use only one hand. Not that I wasn't impressed. Talk about taking 'I can do this with one hand behind my back' to the next level.

He also taught me some genjutsu. Nothing big and fancy; The Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique, which is a D-rank jutsu. Logically, everyone has something they fear the most, and that's what this jutsu is all about. It's a genjutsu that takes on the form of the viewer's worst fear. It draws form the heart, making it all the more believable for the victim.

When Kakashi first mentioned this genjutsu to me, I immediately thought what my worst fear would be. Scientifically, fear doesn't exist. Fear in itself is an illusion. Danger exists, but fearing it is a choice of our mind. The only thing I would be scared of is the future.

Next were D-rank missions. The lowest class of missions.

Now, Kakashi _says_ that teamwork is a means to get things done more productively, but I seem to always find myself doing D-rank missions _alone._ Not completely alone because he is around, yet one would always find me doing the labor work while he's more often than not reading. Be it on top of a tree branch or a boulder.

True I could just _ask_ him for help. However I find that if I can't paint fences or weed a garden by myself without any help, then what am I doing? They're boring and quite menial, because they take up a lot of time doing them by myself, but they're not something I'm struggling with exactly.

Besides, some days I find myself _completely_ alone. As in Kakashi-is-on-a top-secret-ANBU-mission, type of alone. He of course didn't say that. He just said that he had a mission that required his assistance, but I'm not simpleminded, I knew.

On one hand it's annoying because usually Kakashi is the one to interact with the clients while I just stand behind him, ready for orders. Although, on the other hand I feel much less pressured when he's not here. I don't know why, but I always feel like I should do my best when Kakashi's around. I always feel him watching me, even though when I look at him when I feel that way he's actually only reading and minding his own business.

Today however, we were on a mission where I had to clean windows, when a though came to me, making me stop what I was doing. Kakashi noticed and turned his eyes to me from his book, "Kira-chan?"

Oh and he adopted the suffix the Hokage has been calling me. I think he's doing it to annoy me though.

But right now that's not the point, "Kakashi, why _do_ we have to do such simple mission?" I looked up, "I mean, they're just chores. They're not teaching me anything."

Kakashi hummed ad looked towards the sky for a moment, thinking through his words, "Maa…how to explain this…you see, each chore has a special movement," He walks over to her and takes the dirty rag from her hands, "Right now you're doing clockwise or sometimes counter-clockwise hand motions," He shows me, "This creates muscle memory, which can be used to learn defensive blocks."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically, "How?"

"Like this," Kakashi suddenly drew back his hand for a punch, but was too fast for me and I closed my eyes waiting for the impending sound of flesh hitting flesh. However, it didn't come.

"You see?" I heard him say and slowly opened my eyes only to find that my hand had deflected the punch.

I looked surprised at him, "I didn't even realize…it just came automatically…I didn't even think."

Kakashi chuckled and patted my head, "And that's what muscle memory is." He put his hands in his pockets, "Training sometimes comes in disguise of chores. That's how we learn. New genin like you often dismiss D-rank missions as a waste of time and unnecessary, but they are actually quite useful for the future. Remember that." He went back to his reading.

Thinking or a second, I asked him, "So this whole time, you actually _have_ been teaching me?" Kakashi mhmm'd in response.

I watched him for a moment longer before going back to my task.

 _I should stop being so doubtful of him. He knows what he's doing._

(Kakashi glanced at his student. Seeing that she went back to work with a little more determination, he lifted his headband to uncover Obito's eye. _Do you see that…Obito?_ )

I cleaned for a bit longer before I heard a book snapping closed, "Well, time to go."

I nodded and began to pick up the cleaning supplies I was given by our client and gave them back to her. Our client was an elderly lady whose husband recently died, so it is harder for her to manage around the house nowadays. She smiled at me, "Why thank you dearie for your hard work." She turned her head to Kakashi and nodded in gratitude as well. We both bowed back to her and left.

We were walking on the street when Kakashi turned to me, "By the way. Tomorrow we have a photographer named Genzō take a photo of us."

This intrigued me, "Really? Why? We're not exactly a team."

Kakashi shrugged, "Well no, but it's mandatory, even if your my apprentice. So we'll meet up tomorrow at the Hokage Mountain, 0900 sharp. Genzō is not fond of tardiness," he said, remembering the time Obito was late for their team photo.

I snorted, and mumbled, "Say that to yourself."

Kakashi chuckled and patted my head again when a messenger bird flew over our heads and cawed, they're small birds that are used in order to mobilize the village's jōnin or to summon them directly to the Hokage. "Well, seems like I'm being summoned. Ja ne," He lazily waved.

"Ja ne," I waved back and watched him disappear.

* * *

And that's how we pretty much fell into an everyday routine, I guess.

Some days we train, some days we take mission, and if Kakashi's feeling especially malicious, sometimes we even do both in one day.

On the days that he wasn't there, I either; did D-rank mission, trained with Shisui-baka on my nodachi, played shōgi with Shikaku/Ebisu, I sometimes trained with Guy as well, but that happens only when we bump into each other while running or something like that.

Today however, I was invited to dinner by Iruka. I was feeling too tired to cook my own dinner, so naturally I accepted.

We sat at the restaurant and I had our 'team' photo with us, per Iruka's request.

"Aw, Kira, you look so cute!" Iruka gushed.

"Hmph!" I glared at the photo. "It's not even good. I mean, look at the lighting! That man clearly doesn't know what he's doing. I haven't seen a photo this awful in a while. What an idiot."

"Here you go!" Teuchi grinned at me and Iruka as he placed our orders in front of us, "Enjoy!"

We nodded in thanks, "Itadakimasu!" We chorused and broke our chopsticks apart. I took some noodles on my chopstick and winced a little as the noodles were hot and burnt my tongue.

Iruka laughed beside me, "Too hot?"

I rolled my eyes, "A little."

His laugh turned into a chuckle at my response, "It's good to see you haven't changed a bit."

"What do you mean?" I asked a bit offended. I mean I'm not one to praise myself, but I think I've improved a lot.

Iruka smiled and elaborated, "I mean personality wise. You'd be surprised how much people can change when they get stronger. And not even in a good way. They get arrogant and prideful, too full of themselves."

Teuchi, who had been listening in, turned his head towards me from where he was stirring the noodles, "That's right Kira-chan. Integrity is everything."

 _Integrirty - to have strong moral principles_ , I nodded my head slowly, "Don't worry," I said to the both of them, "I've got lots of integrity."

We ate our ramen in silence for a while. Neither of us wanted to ruin the peaceful atmosphere we created. But the silence was still broken by Iruka.

"Hey, Kira?"

"Yeah?"

"How familiar are you with…Naruto Uzumaki?"

 _Ah, so that's what's been bugging him._ I noticed something was off with him. His eyes are darker than they were before.

Outwardly I didn't react beyond raising an eyebrow, "Why?"

Iruka didn't look at me as he spoke, "He's in my class and…I find it difficult to deal with him."

I nodded for him to continue. _Well, seeing the one person containing the beast that killed your parents every day could be pretty stressful._

"So you hate him?" I curiously asked to see his reaction. I also looked towards Teuchi, who would no doubt defend Naruto, but he was tending to a customer at the moment.

Iruka flinched a little, "Hate is…a strong word." He looked up, "I was actually thinking of asking Hokage-Sama if there was a way for me to not teach Naruto."

I opened my mouth to respond, but a new voice interrupted me, "You cannot open the mind of another unless you yourself have an open mind."

Iruka and I looked behind us to find Kakashi there, pushing a flap of hanging cloth aside.

His arrival surprised me. I blinked, "Sensei?"

Kakashi smiled his closed-eye smile, "Evening, Kira-chan. Mind if I join you?" Not that my response would've mattered as he took a seat next to me anyway.

"Kakashi," Iruka spoke up, "That's your name right?"

"You two know each other?" I asked as I was now seated in between them. Iruka to my right and Kakashi to my left.

"Yeah," Kakashi answered, "He was on my team once in a mission," He turned his attention to Iruka, "So why do you sound so depressed?"

Iruka flushed, embarrassed, so I spoke up for him, "Iruka doesn't think he can tolerate an eight-year-old."

"Kira!"

"What? It's true."

Iruka sighed,"That's not it," He turn to Kakashi, "The thing is…I'm Naruto Uzumaki's homeroom teacher.

Kakashi nodded, "I see."

"I don't have any idea how to deal with him." Iruka put his hands on his head, "Don't get me wrong. I know he's not at fault here, but…it's hard. Even though the Hokage thought I was qualified for the job, I can't..."

Kakashi hmmed,"Well, I think you're the perfect man for the job." Iruka looked startled, "What?"

"Without Kira there, only you can reach Naruto's heart. This is your own personal ordeal."

"My ordeal?"

"Yes, so just hang in there a while longer," He finished with a smile. "Who knows, he might surprise you."

I had been silent the whole conversation, so after I finished with my ramen, I decided to voice my own opinion, "Iruka." He looked towards me, "He really isn't a bad kid. Just has a dumb way of seeking attention. Be more…attentive. When I've helped Naruto understand something, I came to the conclusion that if he can't learn the way you teach him, then why don't you try teaching the way he learns? Everyone has their own way and speed in which they develop. Some like Naruto are just a little slower."

Iruka was stunned into silence, but I continued anyway, "Besides, Naruto's not as stupid as everyone seems to think he is. He's not brilliant, but he's up there. And Naruto knows his faults; he just likes to put up a strong front to hide his embarrassment."

Iruka closed his mouth that had been hanging open slightly, "That's…very perspective of you, Kira."

I shrugged.

Iruka was silent for a while, before he nodded, "Okay, if you think so Kira, then I promise I'll try harder."

"Good," Kakashi spoke up, "That settles it. Now, Kira, I actually had something important to tell you. Come with me." He stood up from his seat.

I sighed and turned to Iruka, "Sorry, Iruka. Looks like I'm gonna have to cut this short."

Iruka nodded in understanding and looked at Kakashi, "You keep her safe. You hear me, Kakashi?" It didn't sound like a question.

"Loud and clear," Kakashi saluted mockingly, but had a meaningful look in his eyes. _I'll protect her with my life._

I groaned, "You two are so annoying."

I waved goodbye to Iruka and followed Kakashi out.

I ran to catch up with him, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Kakashi didn't answer; instead he looked down the street with his eyebrows crinkled in confusion and interest.

I also looked towards his line of sight and saw a crowd semi-circled around two men, who were forced into submission by what I guess is the Konoha Military Police Force, going by the emblem on their shoulders; a four-point star with the Uchiha clan crest in the center.

"Hey!" One of the drunks yelled as he was held back by one of them, "What's the meaning of this?!"

The other one also struggled to be let go, "Why don't you just go and hide like you did with the Kyuubi?! He yelled, which was a big mistake as he was forced onto the ground by the Uchiha police, to restrain them, which is probably protocol, but I noticed that they were a little too violent in their actions, for police officers.

"Ow!Ow!Ow! That hurts!"

"We're taking you both into custody!"

"Let me go!"

"Shut up and walk."

The officers tied the two of them up and led them to the police station. As they went people began to whisper amongst themselves;

"How cruel."

"What's becoming of them?"

"It was just a drunken fight…"

"Couldn't they have just stopped the fight?"

I stared after them as they passed me and Kakashi.

 _So, it's starting, huh…_

I was startled when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking up, I realized that it was Kakashi, "Let's go."

He put a hand on my shoulder and led me away from the scene.

I looked up to him, "So…?"

Kakashi looked down at me, "I've decided that you're ready for a little C-rank mission."

"A C-rank? Why?"

"Well, I've seen how well you've done on your D-rank's so I thought that maybe we should slowly start on the C-rank's. They are usually assigned to chūnin, but in some cases genin can also take them. I've already requested one for us. There generally isn't any encounter with another ninja in these missions, so it shouldn't be too dangerous."

We stopped and I realized that he had led me to the playground, "So go to sleep earlier tonight. I expect you at the office 0600 hours."

I nodded and started walking away, "Alright then, Ja ne, sensei." I turned my back as I heard a distinctive poof in the background.

I approached the park. The sun was just about to set, so there were a lot of parents there to pick up their children. I recognized Shikamaru and Chōji and some kid with a dog…oh wait that's Kiba.

Naruto was also there, running with the kids, a big smile on his face, until their parents pulled them away.

"Mom!"

"Aiko-chan, what did I tell you about playing with that boy?"

Naruto's smile dropped as the parents left, scolding their children.

Shikaku also approached the park but didn't see me 'cause I was around the corner. He was searching for his son and his best friend, "Come on you two. Let's go."

"Okay!" The two chorused as they ran to him. Chōji turned around though to wave at Naruto, "Bye, Naruto!" Shikamaru also turned around and half-waved, "Bye!"

Naruto forced a small smile and nod, "Goodbye, 'ttebayo!" And waved until they turned their backs.

I could see Naruto lower his head as he was left alone in the park.

Naruto was looking long fully at them. Must be pretty hard for him. He doesn't even know what his parents look like, let alone their names.

I don't either, but I don't particularly care.

I stood there watching him for a while, pondering and then I went to the front entrance of the park, "Hey, Naruto."

Naruto looked up with wide eyes when he saw me standing there with my hands in my pockets, "I finished my mission." I nodded toward our apartment complex, "Let's go home," and started walking.

Naruto's mouth turned into a full-blown grin as he ran to me, "Yeah! Dattebayo!"

He caught up with me, "Hey, Kira?"

"Hm?"

"Can I have your Hitai-ate?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

Normally, I would've given it to him without complaint, but I was feeling tease-ish.

"No."

"Aww, come on!"

"No."

"Pleaassee!"

I flicked his forehead.

"Ow!"

"No."

He rubbed his head, giggling.

* * *

The client began with a quiet and solemn voice, "My son, Haru, was murdered."

We were at a room we dubbed as our 'base' in the Hokage tower where Kakashi and I, along with other Chūnin who were required on this mission listened to our client's case.

"And that murderer is his trainer, Kurosawa Rokuro-san." She said with spite in her voice.

A Chūnin, Kotetsu, raised an eyebrow, "Isn't that the famous civilian trainer whose students have gotten great results at those competitions they hold between the civilians at Shukuba Town?"

Every year at Shukuba town, which is only a short distance away from Konoha, they hold competitions similar to 'Before's' national Olympic games, but only civilians are allowed.

The woman, Aiko, had a nasty look on her face at the mention of him, "Yes," she said, "That's him. I want him to rot in hell for what he did."

"Has he been arrested?"

"No," she said, "I went to our town's police station, but they wouldn't help me because they said that my son died a natural death."

"And you believe otherwise?" I inquired on my spot next to Kakashi.

"Yes," She sounded sure of herself, "It was definitely his trainer. And my son…I shouldn't have agreed to it. He had big dreams of becoming some professional athlete…and now…" she sniffed, tears at the corners of her eyes. It was clear that this woman loved her son, and now she had a thirst for revenge.

"Our condolences," Izumo patted her back gently.

"We'll get you something relaxing to drink and then can tell us more." Kakashi signaled for me to bring her some tea. I grumbled a little, (I was not his assistant) but did as told and prepared some jasmine tea for her.

"Thank you," she smiled at me as I handed the tea over to her. She wiped her eyes with her hand and continued, "Haru was very good in the beginning. One day he came home with a black eye and a split lip, I asked him if he got into a fight but he refused to talk about it. From then on he fell more and more into depression. I understood that the trainer was demanding and pressuring him and others. Haru's strength just vanished moment during training, he was running with others when he suddenly stopped, then collapsed and died." She was crying full on now, "A heart attack! At his age?!"

"How are you so sure that the trainer killed him? Pressuring someone to train harder isn't enough to kill them."

"I'm sure of it! I've eavesdropped on a few conversations they had, he was cursing and threatening him. Haru didn't want to talk about it with me, kept it to himself. They're relationship was very tense the last few days of his life."

"Didn't the autopsy reveal anything?" Shikaku questioned. The mission was a C-rank, seeing as we were dealing with civilians, but a little complicated, so Kakashi gathered a team of Chūnin. Shikaku wasn't his subordinate, however he was there for the sake of information gathering for the T&I department who couldn't send a shinobi for us today, so they asked Shikaku for a favor.

She shook her head, "Only that my son had a heart attack."

"Did he have any illnesses as a child?" Kakashi asked from his hunched over form by the window.

"Well…his lungs were weak, he frequently visited the hospital. But he's been fine for the past seven years." She looked up at us, "Will you take my son's case?"

Kakashi hmm'ed then looked towards me for a second. I shrugged, take the case don't take the case I don't really care. Kakashi and I had taken to consult with each other before taking missions. If both of us were okay with it then we usually took the mission.

He turned towards the woman, "I can't promise that we'll find anything suspicious, but we'll try."

Aiko nodded her head, "I'm certain that you will and I'm very thankful to all of you."

"Now, first of all with your permission Izumo and Kotetsu will look through your son's room for clues."

"Yes of course," She stood up, "Follow me."

When they left, Kakashi turned towards me, "Kira-chan, go to the village's archives and look for any info we might have on Kurosawa Rokuro. Be quick, I'm gonna analyze our info and plan with Shikaku."

I nodded, "Got it," and flashed to a nearby roof, taking off in the direction of Konoha's Archive.

Konoha's Archive had information on every person, be it shinobi or civilian, Konoha's or another village's.

I opened the door, giving a quick nod to a Chūnin who was guarding the place. The library was divided into two groups; civilian and shinobi. Civilian files were typically on the second floor, so I went into the direction of the stairs. They were also in an alphabetical order, so it wasn't very hard to find Kurosawa Rokuro's file. Opening the cabinet under the letter 'K', I found Kurosawa's file, flipped it open and studied it, before heading back to Kakashi to report my findings. I was very tempted to take a glance at my own file –it was just a few shelves away- but Kakashi said to be quick and I don't want him to be disappointed at me on my first C-rank. With that thought I left the building, taking to the roof's again.

 _Maybe another time_ , I thought as I entered our 'base' at the same time as Kotetsu and Izumo came back. Huh, quick fellas. Izumo cleared his throat, signaling Kakashi that we were back.

"We checked Aiko-san's son's room like you asked and we found something inside one of his books." Kotetsu held out a piece of paper, "It's a map of the world, along with 注ベ41* written on top of it."

Shikaku took it, "Maybe it's a code? 41?" He gave it to Kakashi.

"Maybe." Kakashi said and then noticed me, "Oh, Kira-chan. Found anything?"

"Yup," I popped the p, and opened the file, showing it to him, "Kurosawa Rokuro is one of the most acknowledged civilian trainers in Shukuba Town. His students have accomplished some amazing results in the competitions, for civilians that is."

"Private life?"

"Divorced, lives in a fancy apartment downtown, alone." I closed the file, "Nothing suspicious. Though other Towns have claimed that his trainees aren't clean, but they haven't found anything in the drug tests to confirm the claim. However," I said with a serious tone, "The most important thing I found was that a previous student of Rokuro's also died. A month ago they discovered one if his students, Watanabe Mariko, on the Tanzaku road. Dead."

"Two deaths in a year," Kakashi's and Shikaku's eyes narrowed, "Now that is suspicious. Alright everyone, Kira and I will go to Shukuba Town to speak to their police. In the meantime you'll be on standby."

"Yes, sir!"

The next day Kakashi and I met up at Aun Gate and travelled to Shukuba Town. We spoke to their police, and they said, "The autopsy showed that the blood samples were normal, the cause of death was a heart attack, hemoglobin levels were extraordinarily high…hm."

"What?" I asked.

"Haru had strong inner organs, enormous lung capacity and heart. Everything points to over exercising."

"What did the trainer say about that?"

"He showed us his training program and we found nothing that showed that his training methods were unreasonable."

I looked to Kakashi, "Maybe he was doing extra training without the trainer's knowledge?"

The officer shrugged, "Possibly."

Kakashi asked him, "What about the girl, Mariko? What did the autopsy say about her?"

The officer pulled out a photograph that had the picture of the girl lying on her back in the woods, lifeless, "She also had high hemoglobin levels, but everything else was normal. She lived in Konoha actually."

"Then what was she doing all the way on the Tanzaku road?"

"Nobody knows."

Kakashi and I looked at each other. Somethings not right.

* * *

We headed back to our 'base'.

As we entered, I saw that everyone had gathered up like Kakashi asked through the radio that everybody was provided with.

"We need someone to infiltrate Rokuro's training group." Kakashi started.

"What about Kira. Her chakra levels are the least developed amongst us, making her less suspicious." Izumo suggested.

Kakashi shook his head, "No, not only is she inexperienced in this field, but she's also a female. Rokuro doesn't take female students on after Watanabe Mariko's parents gave him hell for their daughter's death."

"But who then?"

"I've thought about it and I've decided to hire a civilian associate of ours named Skippy."

"Him?! He's as fit as a worm!"

Kakashi shrugged, "So we'll have to shape him up and when he's trained enough we'll demonstrate him to Rokuro."

I was confused, "How are we supposed to do that? Training a civilian, especially an adult civilian takes a lot of time that we don't have."

Kakashi nodded, "Yes, I've also thought about that and asked the hospital to prepare a special drug for him to fasten his development."

"Who's going to go find him?"

I felt Kakashi pat my back.

 _Of course…_

* * *

I found him on the main shopping strict, passing fliers to shoppers, "New restaurant in town! Coupon for two!" He yelled, waving his hand full of fliers furiously, "Coupon for t- Hello ladies!" He grinned at two young girls that were clearly too young for him. He was scrawny, tall, thin, but not athletically built with a bald head and a short French mustache, maybe in his 30's.

I wasn't sure about this guy, he seemed a bit too…weird. But nonetheless, I kawarimi'd behind him from a top a house roof that I had hidden behind earlier, "Hello, Skippy."

He turned around, "Coupon for- oh!"

"I'm here on behalf of Kakashi Hatake and to offer you a better job." I nodded my chin toward a shaded area, "Come on."

He narrowed his eyes at me but followed, "Alright, talk. What's my job?"

At my confused look he said, "Kakashi always send people to me for job offers so it's nothing new, I trust the guy."

I nodded in understanding, "Infiltration. You are to become a professional athlete."

"A professional athlete?"

"Yes. Have you done sports before?"

"Well, I was a pretty good shogi player back in school."

"Great. You'll be a runner."

He looked startled, "Eeeeer, that's a little bit too intellectual for me."

"They said that you were the best." I tried to appeal to his good side. I had to get him to agree after all.

Skippy thought about it, "Fine, but I'm gonna need some money in advance. I've been a little low on the cash lately." He held out his hand.

I expected it, because Kakashi had handed me some money just in case he'll ask, "Here," I gave him 30 000 ryo, "Tomorrow, at the hospital 0010 hours sharp."

He grinned, "Done." And greedily took the money, throwing the fliers in the air in his glee.

 _What an eccentric man_. I was unsure how he'll be of use to us.

The following day saw us at the hospital with Skippy on the bed with an IV full of drugs attached to his arm. Skippy was gasping in slight pain as he turned to Kakashi, "Poisoning me is gonna cost you a lot, Kakashi."

"Relax, you'll get quite a hefty pay, trust me."

"That's why I'm here!" He gasped again.

The medic that we trusted to put the drug in him turned to us, "I gave Skippy a very large amount of hormones, but for the drugs to kick in, he'll have to train for his athletic results to improve. And eat healthy too."

"And when will we see some results?"

"About a week from now."

"Good." He and the medic bowed to each other, as the medic left Kakashi turned to Skippy, "You'll have to stay here for some time."

Skippy grunted, "What do I have against it? My fridge is as empty as Water Country's cash register."

Kakashi turned to me, "Oh and Kira, you'll be in charge of his meals."

Sigh.

The next few days were filled with training him. Usually Kotetsu and Izumo overlooked that while Kakashi, Shikaku and I analyzed our information.

I also was forced to make him healthy meals. The drugs kicked in pretty fast because he ate faster than I could make the food. He didn't even care what I gave him just that I did. He trained every day for about 12 hours. The medic gave him new dose of hormones every week and day by day he became faster and stronger.

I hope we weren't killing him.

When he ran as fast as a horse, we put our plan into motion.

"Now let's just hope he'll take the bait," I said from my spot on the couch arm as my teammates gathered at our 'base'.

Kakashi agreed, "The plan is that you, Kira, will steal Rokuro's wallet and Skippy will give it back to him, when he's riding his horse. That way he'll see Skippy potential and become interested in him."

Skippy was practically vibrating on the spot from the energy, "Right let's go. Whoo!" He ran to me and threw me on his shoulder, "Hey!" I angrily shouted at him and thumped him in the back hard enough for him to drop me, "Don't think you're stronger than me now." I glared as he sheepishly laughed.

We were at Shubaku Town's main food district when I saw him going to his horse. Rokuro was short for his age, with a little stubble and thick black glasses. I walked towards him and 'bumped' into him, quickly taking his wallet, from his back pocket, "Sorry."

Rokuro didn't say anything to me and continued on as if nothing happened.

I went to Skippy who was doing jumping jacks, a little ways away from Rokuro, "Here," I handed him the wallet. He took it and we both waited until Rokuro was on his horse to start our plan.

"Wait," I told him putting a hand on his chest to stop him, waiting for the horse to pick up speed, I finally said, "Go."

* * *

Rokuro was riding his horse home when he felt someone tap his leg. He looked down to find some guy running beside his horse. _What the…?_

The man turned to him, "You dropped this," And gave him his wallet and ran even further ahead?!

Rokuro frantically yelled, "Hey, you!"

The man turned his head but didn't stop running, "Stop for a second!" He pulled on his horse's reign to also stop.

"Are you an athlete?" Rokuro asked him once he got his horse to stop beside the man.

The man shook his head, "It's just a hobbie."

Rokuro was intrigued, "Well you're pretty fast. My name's Rokuro. I train a group of athlete's. Want to join?"

Skippy fake-hesitated, "I don't know…"

"You don't have to decide anything right now," Rokuro quickly assured to not scare him away, "But if you make up your mind, here," He handed Skippy a piece of paper, "The address is on that. I'll see you then, yeah?"

Skippy agreed, "Sure."

Rokuro smiled at him widely and rode off.

* * *

"How'd it go?" Kotesu asked as we entered the room.

Skippy grinned, showing Kakashi the piece of paper, "I was invited to Rokuro's training group."

Kakashi smiled at us, "Bravo. Now you'll just have to let him talk you into joining the group."

Skippy looked unsure, "But what if the sends me to the competitions?"

Kakashi waved his concern off, "Don't worry, that won't happen. I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this before then."

I walked to sit next to Kakashi, crossed my arms and whispered to him, "You should've seen him. Ran like young moose."

He chuckled and ruffled my hair before addressing the room once more, "Someone should go to the Tanzaku road where that girl died and question the locals. Maybe someone noticed something."

It seemed like an easy job so I raised my hand, "Will I get a raise?"

* * *

I was hopping from tree branch to tree branch with the photograph of the dead girl in my hand. I looked everywhere to spot the place she died. I narrowed my eyes a little further, _There!_

I finally found it.

Looking around I didn't see any houses close by, so I pulled out a map the T&I provided me with and saw that a house was actually a few feet away from here. I decided it was best to not be seen as a shinobi, so I took my headband off, along with my pouch and hid them behind a tree for now.

Taking a compass out, I started navigating through the trees, stepping over fallen trees and ducking underneath the branches.

Walking deeper into the woods, I finally found a wooden house. I walked over, intending on interrogating the people living here when I saw something peculiar.

 _Wait, is that?!_ I quickly hid behind the corner and sneaked a peek. It was Rokuro. He was getting on horse and leaving. I raised an eyebrow, _Suspicious…Looks like I'm in the right place._

Seeing that coast was clear, I walked up to the front of the house. It couldn't be Rokuro's place since he lived in an apartment. I looked through the window of the house, thinking I was alone I didn't even bother to check for a chakra signal. What a mistake.

I was about to pick the lock, when I heard a loud dog's bark behind me. Startled, I let out a little scream and turned around to see a man with a big dog that looked ready to tear me apart. I reached for my nodachi when the strange man said, "Don't even think about it. I will release him and you should know he once killed a bear." The dog bared his fangs at me and barked some more when my hand went for my nodachi.

Slowly raising both of my hands I quickly tried to form a plan. _If I just kawarim-!_ Something sharp landed on my neck, making me fall to the ground and lose consciousness.

* * *

Everyone was at the base when Skippy ran in with a vial he stole from Rokuro's office earlier in the day. Rokuro had been testing him as well as composing a training schedule for him. When Rokuro's back was turned however, Skippy had gone into his office to investigate.

"I found something." He handed it off to the doctor. "I also heard something about a new dose arriving next week." His voice cracked.

Kakashi took the vial, "Good job, Skippy."

The medic put a hand on his chin, "He must be using some new kind of drug that doesn't leave a trace in the body's system."

Skippy cleared his throat, "Actually, now that we are on the subject, I have a problem that needs to be taken care of." His voice cracked again.

Izumo scrunched his brows in confusion, "Why is your voice cracking like a young boy whose about to begin puberty?"

Skippy glared at him, "Maybe because of the amount of hormones _you_ people have been putting in my body! And not only that," He opened his jacket and everybody gasped with wide eyes, "I have boobs!"

Kotetsu put a hand on his mouth to stifle his laughter, "Oh my Kami!"

Skippy glared at everyone, "Ha ha, very funny! This was not in my contract Kakashi! I demand an extra pay for this!"

Kakashi didn't even bother to hide his snickers and sheepishly waved his hand at him, "Maa, maa. Of course, of course. But you know it doesn't look _that_ bad." He tried to smooth over the situation.

"You think so?" Skippy asked looking down at his breasts.

"Yeah, yeah…" Everyone agreed, trying to make him feel better.

Skippy nodded along, "Yeah, when I looked at the mirror in the morning I also thought that it's actually pretty sexy." He said, still looking down at his chest area.

Everyone laughed a bit at that, but it didn't last long when Kakashi spoke up, "Wait. Where's Kira?" He asked looking around.

"She went to the Tanzaku road to investigate." Izumo answered.

"She should've been back hours ago," Kakashi growled, fear starting to creep up from his stomach.

"Did she get lost?" Kotetus suggested, but was shot down by Kakashi.

"No, she would never be so careless," Kakashi made his way to the window, "I'm gonna go find her."

"Wait Kakashi," Shikaku interrupted him, "I need you here to go over the information from the vital."

"She's _my_ student. **My** responsibility." Kakashi glared at him.

Shikaku sighed, "Yes, I know that, but you're also their team leader. Look, I'm sure she's just making a thorough examination and lost track of time. Send Kotetsu and Izumo, I'm sure she's fine."

Izumo spoke up with a smile, "Yeah captain, Kotetsu and I will find the newbie in no time." Kotetsu nodded in agreement beside him.

Kakashi thought about it and reluctantly sighed, "Fine, go. But go fast, I have a bad feeling."

"Sir!" They saluted and flickered out.

* * *

I woke up to find myself on a chair, my weapons stripped and hands and legs bound together with chakra wire.

"So you're finally awake." Came a voice to my left, it was Rokuro. "Who are you?" He leaned over to peer into my eyes.

A man stepped forward when I didn't say anything, "I found these in her pocket," The unknown man said, showing him the photograph and my nodachi. "Looks like we've got a shinobi."

Rokuro turned to me, "Who hired you? Wait, I know! It was Haru's mother wasn't it."

"Possibly," I replied with an attitude.

He didn't look very happy and glared at me, "How much do you know?"

"I came here by accident." I played the innocent card, but it was the truth, sort of. I didn't even imagine I would find _him_ here.

"If she can come here, then so can others," The unknown man said to Rokuro.

"Then we'll just have to move the lab somewhere else."

"But then we'll have to start all over again!"

Rokuro shrugged at the man, "Yes but there's nothing we can do. Start packing things." And as he said that they started grabbing some stuff I couldn't see and took them outside to a wagon.

* * *

Kotetsu and Izumo were jumping from tree to tree when Izumo said, "Where do you think she might be?"

Kotetsu shrugged, "Don't know. But we should start with the surrounding houses I guess. Wait! Look, down there!" Kotetsu pointed at the ground. It was Kira's pouch.

Izumo also saw it, "Let's check it out."

They jumped down and picked up the pouch that laid on the forest ground, "It's definitely Kira's, it has her headband in it."

Kotetsu pointed to the woods, "Let's start from there then."

Izumo nodded and they ran into the woods yelling her name.

* * *

"Got everything?" Rokuro asked.

"Yes." The man beside him replied, "What now?"

"Now we just need to get rid of that girl."

"How?"

Rokuro grinned, manically, "I think you know." He patted him in the back as he left to get some gas, "And when she's gone. We'll burn the place down."

I was struggling with the wires when I heard them both come inside. Rokuro spoke first, holding up a syringe, "You know what this is?" He grinned at me, trying to be intimidating.

I gave him a blank stare, "It's the new drug that doesn't leave a trace in the victim's body system."

He laughed, "So you've done your homework! Which means you know what happens in the case of overdose, yes?"

I snarled, "No, nor do I want to know."

Rokuro licked his lips and smiled haughtily, "We'll administer five doses. That has two effects; First of all you'll have an uncontrollable urge to run and second, your hemoglobin levels will rise as high as the sky which will cause blood clots that will move up to your heart."

The unknown man took over, "Which will inevitably end in a heart attack for you. And if you try to stop running…then the heart attack will only come faster!"

I gritted my teeth at them, "That girl, Mariko, you did the same to her too, didn't you." It wasn't a question; I could tell by their grins that the answer was yes. I suddenly felt something painful in my chest. Was it fear?

"Possibly," Rokuro said mockingly and grabbed my hair to expose my neck.

"Ah!" I hissed when they injected the syringe.

* * *

"Kira!" Kotetsu yelled.

"We've been yelling for hours, Kotetsu. Maybe she's not here?"

"Fine. We'll look for 2 more kilometers, then head in the other direction."

* * *

The unknown man was leading me outside when I felt the drugs kick in. I started twitching as the urge to start running was overwhelming.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I started running on the spot as the man started to release me from my binds.

I ran away the second the ropes fell to the ground.

I could still hear their voices when I ran in the direction of Konoha.

"Burn it!"

* * *

"Hey Izumo, do you smell that?"

"Smells like smoke…"

"Yeah, and where there's smoke…"

"…There's fire." Exchanging worried glances, they started towards the direction of the smell.

* * *

I was running through the woods, dodging tree branches and jumping over rocks and fallen trees.

My breathing was ragged and I felt my throat tighten. Something weird was happening with my body and I knew what it was.

Shock.

When people go into shock their bodies go into crisis mode. All the blood in the body rushes to the core – protecting the vital organs at all costs. The body is focused on one single mission.

Survival.

But even though I've analyzed my condition, it's still very hard to get myself to overcome it.

"Hey, is that her?" A voice that belonged to Kotetsu –I think- asked.

"It is! Hey, Kira! Where have you been?!"

I opened my mouth when I neared them, "I can't stop!" And ran passed them.

They looked confused –no doubt- but I couldn't stop. I had to keep running.

"What? Why?!"

"Let's go Kotetsu! Follow her!"

I heard them running to catch up with me, Izumo turned his head at me, "Kira, what's wrong?"

I stared straight ahead as I tried to explain the situation, "They…huff…they injected some substance into me that…huff…that turns the blood thicker."

"Why can't you stop running?" Kotetsu asked, feeling a little sick for allowing this to happen to her.

"I…huff…I was given a drug…huff…if I stop…huff…I'll have a heart attack."

"By who?"

"Rokuro and some guy."

They both gasped, before cursing underneath their breaths.

"Hold on! We'll think of something!" Izumo pressed a button on his radio to contact the base.

"I know."

"Don't stop running!" Kotetsu encouraged.

"I know **!** "

I ran and ran and ran as I heard them contacting the team through the radio, "Kakashi, get the doctor! We're 8.4 kilometers away from Konoha! We don't have time to explain. Kira was given a drug that makes her blood thicken. Hurry!"

My head felt light. It's as if the drug is also taking all the energy from me. I can't stop though. Konoha's still so far away. Why is it affecting me like this?

My wireless radio –that was still around my neck- was suddenly activated as I heard a familiar voice, "Kira?"

…"Kakashi?"

"Listen to me. I won't let anything happen to you." He sounded professionally calm.

Relief washed trough me, as if my body was convinced that everything was going to be okay, even though that's uncertain yet.

"Kakashi…I…I…I'm scared."

"…Me too. But listen, we're gonna make it through this. You are going to make it through this. Just hang in there. Help is almost there, trust me."

I was speechless for a moment, "…I trust you."

I heard us disconnect as I tried to stay calm.

 _Okay, there is a strange substance spreading inside you. If you stop providing energy in the form of running, you are most certainly going to die. You need to focus. Come on focus. Focus!_

I took a big gulp of air.

 _Okay, okay Kira. Your breathing is off. You are in shock. You need to calm down._

I closed my eyes. _Calm down, dammit! There must be_ something _that can calm you down!_

Memories started flashing in my mind.

" _ **Is that the best you can do?" A curly-haired, dark-eyed boy questioned with a smirk on his face, arms crossed.  
**_

" _ **The springtime of youth has yet to fade away!" A loud voice boomed, sticking a good-guy pose.**_

" _ **You could be the most brilliant kunoichi of your time." A lazy voice drawled as he put his hands in his pockets.**_

" _ **No emotion! Those are for the weak!" A rough voice demanded, bringing a fist down to a table.**_

" _ **I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." His lone eye narrowed in determination.**_

Is this what they call 'life flashing before your eyes?'

" _ **Kira!" He called, wide blue eyes full of admiration as he grinned, "I need you, Kira!"**_

 _I….I….I can't!"_

I dropped to my knees. I couldn't do it anymore.

"Kira!" Kotetsu and Izumo yelled in unison. They came up behind me, lifting me to my feet, "Come on! Get up! Get up! Get up!"

"Yeah, we can do this!"

They started dragging me, forcing me to run, "I…Can't." I panted.

"Come on! Good, good! Just a little further!"

Suddenly my air ducts closed and I couldn't breathe anymore. I dropped to the ground, falling unconscious.

Kotetsu and Izumo rushed to her side. Izumo grabbing her hand to find her pulse.

"Oh no!"

"Shimatta! Where are they?! Kotetsu grabbed his hair, looking around.

"Hey!"

Kotetsu snapped his head at the sound. There they were, Kakashi with the doctor not too far behind him.

Izumo then started waving his hand furiously, "We're over here!" Kotetsu joined him, "Hurry doc!"

The doctor ran to them, spotting her on the ground, limp, he immediately started toward her. He quickly pulled out a syringe, and took her arm in his, "This should help," and injected her with it.

Kakashi went to Kira's side, cradling her body and lifting arm, looking for her pulse, "There's no pulse." He said to the doctor coldly.

"We're losing her."

Everyone around looked grim while the doctor started pumping her chest with his hands to start her heart. However, he removed his hands. He and everyone gasped in shock. Kakashi looked horror-stricken.

Kira's body was surrounded by dense bubbling-red chakra.

* * *

 **A/N Hey everybody! It's been a horrendously long time since I've updated.**

 **I'm sorry.**

 **There are a lot of reasons why and I'm not gonna list them because quite frankly nobody would care. I know I wouldn't.**

 **The reason this chapter might seem hurried is because, well, it is hurried. I'm going away for the holidays but I wanted to, at the very least, update because I've been very sloppy at it. Which is also why I will answer all of your question in the next chapter (Which will not take another 4 months, I promise). I also want to thank all of you for supporting me and loving Kira as much as I do, it really means a lot.**

 **And I want to announce that my poll will end soon. Right now the result are:**

 **Hagoromo – 148**

 **Indra - 144**

 **Kaguya – 142**

 **Nobody – 135**

 **Hamura – 121**

 **It's pretty neck and neck between Hagoromo, Indra and Kaguya so even I'm not sure who it'll be.**

 **There's also been a lot of inquiries about the pairing.** **(Naruto/Kira, Sasuke/Kira, Shikamaru/Kira, Shisui/Kira)**

 **And well I don't even know that myself 'cause I didn't think of a pairing when I started this. This was just supposed to be a fun hobby of mine. I didn't start this thinking that so many people would actually like this. So concerning this; I say anything goes.**

 **But if you're keen on having a pairing I guess I could just ask you readers:**

 **1 Who should Kira be paired with and why?**

 **Xoxo - Kamigami**


End file.
